Pakistan has suffered three major floods in just fifteen years. In 2010, the Indus overflowed and left a fifth of the country underwater. In 2022, large parts of the country drowned again, displacing millions and causing billions in damage.And now, in 2025, we find ourselves back in the same place.

According to NDMA estimates, this year’s floods alone damaged or destroyed nearly 2,000 kms of roads and about 240 bridges. Agriculture lost over Rs300 billion, while damage to transport and communication networks is estimated at almost Rs100 billion.

The pattern is painfully familiar. We suffer, raise funds, rebuild and then watch the same roads, bridges and schools collapse in the next flood. Pakistan is among the world’s most climate-vulnerable countries. We contribute less than one per cent to global greenhouse gases, so mitigation is not in our hands. What is in our hands is adaptation and resilience: building infrastructure that can withstand a changing climate.

I have spent the past few years working with government departments on these issues. What I have realised is that our problem is not the lack of engineers or technical talent. The real problem lies in how we plan, design and build public infrastructure. Our systems, our rules, and our working culture are still built for an old climate that no longer exists.

Let’s start with procurement. Even today, most projects still go to the lowest bidder. On paper, it saves money. In practice, it often means cutting corners. Weak oversight and limited testing allow poor materials and designs to pass. The result is short-lived infrastructure that fails when it is needed most. The real cost is paid when floods wash away what........

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