ISLAMABAD : Vice President Pakistan People’s Party and Parliamentary leader of the PPP in the Senate Senator Sherry Rehman expressed deep concern over the catastrophic floods across KP, GB, Bajaur and cloudburst in Muzaffarabad, which claimed precious lives and displaced countless families.
Extending her heartfelt condolences to the affected families, she prayed for the safe return of those still missing. “These tragedies are a painful reminder that climate change is no longer a distant threat; it is already devastating lives across Pakistan,” Senator Rehman said. “We can no longer treat such disasters as ‘unusual.’ Every flood, every cloudburst, is a call for immediate and decisive action,” she said in a statement on Friday. Sherry underscored alarming projections that depict Pakistan’s vulnerability: “Our country is ranked the most impacted by climate change in the 2025 Climate Risk Index. If we continue to delay action, the cost of inaction could reach $250 billion by 2030 and $1.2 trillion by 2050, which is equivalent to losing 30 percent of GDP in priority sectors every year, according to FCDO.
These numbers represent destroyed homes, lost livelihoods, and lives uprooted.” On population displacement, she added: “By 2030, 90 million Pakistanis could be temporarily displaced. By 2050, flooding and sea-level rise could force 400 million people from their homes.Flooding alone could cost $60 billion, with sea-level rise adding another $20 billion. We cannot allow our people to bear the brunt of climate inaction.”
Senator Rehman also stressed the human toll of these disasters: “The poorest and most marginalized communities always suffer first. Rescue teams are performing heroic work, but the state must ensure they are fully resourced to save lives effectively. Relief and rehabilitation must be accelerated.” “This is shift in weather patterns is a human tragedy unfolding before our eyes.” “We must move beyond words. Preparedness, robust policies, and practical solutions are essential to protect our people, our communities, and our future,” she concluded.