Once again, Pakistan has been hit by massive floods. Once again, our smartphones and TVs are full of pictures and videos of flood-affected areas; of displaced people carrying all their possessions on hand-drawn carts, animal-drawn carriages and on their heads; of ruined crops; of dead animals; and of abandoned vehicles. Once again, we have frightening figures on loss of life, loss of crops and livestock, and loss of aggregate production and incomes. Available figures suggest that over 1,000 people have been killed, and over 3,000,000 people have been displaced. Losses and damages are estimated at $2 billion.

The floods were the result of high and concentrated levels of rainfall in northern parts of Pakistan — both in KP and GB; and in the Punjab — both in the Indian and Pakistani side. What turned a high level of rain into a disaster has been much debated. Some experts say it was India releasing floodwaters into the rivers, of which they control the upper sections. Other experts say it was the constant and ongoing encroachments into riverine flood plains. Yet others say that the flood's impact was exacerbated by powerful rural elites who cut canals and bunds to divert waters into low-lying areas in order to prevent their own lands from being affected.

This debate will, and should, carry on. But this debate should be grounded, as much as possible, on rigorous use of data and evidence. In Pakistan, we have world-class water engineers who are very well able to do such analysis. Decision-makers should........

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