Why is much of Pakistan dry despite its summer monsoon season?

Pakistan is situated on the edge of the monsoon system, meaning the country is not uniformly covered by these rain-bearing winds. Because Pakistan lies at the extreme western limit of this system, the exact margins of the monsoon vary annually, leading to erratic and highly variable precipitation across the country.12

Even when monsoon rains do occur, their effectiveness is limited by timing and temperature. Most moisture arrives between early July and mid-September, a period characterized by intense heat. These high temperatures maximize moisture loss through evaporation, significantly reducing the agricultural benefit of the rainfall.1

Furthermore, the northern mountain ranges act as a physical barrier that intercepts monsoon winds from the south, influencing regional precipitation patterns. Consequently, while some northern areas receive sufficient rainfall for dry farming, much of the rest of the country remains arid, with mean annual precipitation decreasing significantly from the northeast toward the southwest.31