Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif orders nationwide coordination, emergency planning, and enhanced disaster preparedness as Pakistan faces heightened climate risks and forecasts of unusually heavy monsoon rainfall.
Pakistan has intensified preparations for the upcoming monsoon season after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif chaired a high-level review meeting in Islamabad on climate-related risks, disaster preparedness, and flood prevention measures.
The prime minister warned that Pakistan remains among the countries most vulnerable to climate change and stressed that effective coordination between the federal government, provinces, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and Gilgit-Baltistan is essential to minimize potential losses from extreme weather events.
To strengthen preparedness, Shehbaz Sharif directed the federal minister for climate change and the chairman of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) to undertake emergency visits to all provinces, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and Gilgit-Baltistan this week. He also ordered the formation of an Emergency Response Committee under the supervision of the federal minister for planning and development. The committee will meet weekly and coordinate closely with provincial authorities, while the finance minister was instructed to ensure contingency funding is ready for any emergency.
The prime minister emphasized that foreign-funded projects should also enhance the capacity of national and local institutions. He noted that the federal government has allocated an additional Rs330 billion in the current budget to accelerate water infrastructure projects aimed at strengthening national water security.
During the briefing, the NDMA informed participants that global heatwaves and extreme weather conditions are expected to intensify this year, with Pakistan likely to experience severe heat and unusually heavy rainfall during July. Authorities said all relevant agencies are implementing the required preparedness measures under a comprehensive disaster management strategy.
The meeting was attended by senior federal ministers, NDMA Chairman, WAPDA Chairman, provincial chief secretaries, and other key government officials.
About The Author
