Barely had Pakistan begun to process the tragedy that unfolded in Swat when another wave of climate disaster hit, this time impacting not just Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) but also Punjab. Apocalyptic rains have lashed these regions, once again exposing the frailty of our infrastructure and the hollowness of our preparedness. On Wednesday, a rain emergency was declared in Punjab, where more than 40 people lost their lives in just 24 hours. Islamabad and Rawalpindi, too, were inundated – residential areas flooded, lives disrupted and any semblance of normalcy washed away. Lahore, meanwhile, was brought to a standstill earlier in the week as monsoon rains exposed the city’s lack of resilience. This is not an isolated episode. Pakistan’s meteorological authorities have issued ongoing warnings for more heavy rainfall in the north and east of the country. The potential for urban flooding, landslides and critical infrastructure damage remains alarmingly high. The spectre of 2022, a year when flash floods drowned two-thirds of the country and claimed over 1,700 lives, looms large over this year’s monsoon season. Since late June, monsoon rains have already killed over 150 people in Pakistan, with electrocution and flash floods being the leading causes of death. Punjab has borne the highest number of casualties.
But much as we would like to blame the government (and in some cases, of course, preparedness can be better), the fact is that this is not just a local problem. Climate-related disasters are unfurling across the globe. Himachal Pradesh in India has seen at least 70 deaths in recent flooding. In the US, the Texas Hill Country reported 134 deaths due to flooding. What is unfolding worldwide is a deadly mix of nature’s erratic behaviour and decades of human interference with the environment. The unchecked march of development – forests razed to make way for data centres, coasts eroded for sea-facing apartments and floodplains colonised by commercial ventures – has disrupted the delicate balance of our ecosystem. We are seeing what happens when nature is pushed to its limits by human greed and negligence. Pakistan’s vulnerability to such climate shocks has been evident for years, yet the political will to act remains stubbornly absent. Policymakers continue to hide behind a narrative of helplessness, shrugging off responsibility. There is little discussion on the infrastructural and policy failures that amplify the devastation. The lack of adequate drainage, the poor enforcement of building regulations and the complete disregard for environmental planning all contribute to turning heavy rainfall into mass tragedy.
Pakistan has been vocal in international forums about the need for climate justice and financial assistance from richer nations, a demand that is valid and urgent. But we also need corresponding commitment on the domestic front. There is still no clear roadmap that outlines how the country plans to build resilience against climate-induced disasters. The state must recognise that the climate crisis is no longer a distant threat – it is here, it is now and it is lethal. We need robust flood defences, smarter urban planning, early-warning systems and better drainage infrastructure. More importantly, we need leadership that understands that climate resilience is not an optional investment. Pakistan may be among the least contributors to global carbon emissions, but that does not absolve it of the responsibility to protect its people from the consequences of a warming world. It is time to stop waiting for catastrophe to strike before waking up. The climate is not changing; it has already changed. And to the world we say: just because we are caught perhaps in our Global South levels of lag does not absolve the richer nations of their responsibility. The world is standing at this place mainly because of the greed and apathy of the Global North. A little less war and plundering might help us all.