Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced a fund for the flood victims, as he did during the 2022 floods, and has vowed to mobilise resources in coordination with provinces to support flood affected communities. Additionally, he has pledged to take punitive action against mafias (particularly timber and land) whose contribution to exacerbating the impact of climate change on the public is undeniable.

Pakistan has been ranked as the worst affected in 2025 by the Global Climate Index (GCI), an annual report prepared by Germanwatch that ranks countries based on human and economic losses caused by extreme weather events.

National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) states on its website that “Monsoon 2025 has shown significantly higher intensity and duration, with future escalation anticipated.” At present, rescue, and rehabilitation efforts are continuing with the complete assessment of damage yet to be undertaken as the weather forecast warns of two more rain spells.

Empirical research concludes that the poor/vulnerable are disproportionately affected by natural catastrophes. Pakistan government’s response to deal with weather related crisis has been to launch rescue efforts (with many of the affected complaining of delays that cost valuable lives), announce grants for the affected usually as and when cabinet members (federal and provincial) visit flood sites, followed by only partial rehabilitation of critical infrastructure swept away by floods (due to paucity of funds); and rail in favour of governance measures though they fail to implement them – measures that can play a crucial role in mitigating the effects of climate change.

Chairman NDMA, Lieutenant General Inam Haider, stated Monday last that climate change is accelerating the melting of glaciers with an elevated risk in Gilgit-Baltistan and Kashmir, a trend that he added could intensify in the coming years. Additionally, he referred to cloudbursts in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (defined as heavy rain within a very short span of........

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