AT least 72 lives have been lost and 130 people injured across Pakistan in the last 10 days alone due to flash floods and heavy rains triggered by this year’s monsoon season.
The highest number of fatalities—28 deaths—was recorded in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, followed by Punjab with 22, Sindh with 15, Balochistan with seven and Azad Jammu & Kashmir (AJK) with four.
It would be a grave mistake to treat these fatalities as an unavoidable consequence of seasonal change. Most of these lives could have been saved, had there been a more robust and timely response by the authorities and greater caution exercised by the public. Communities vulnerable to floods often lack the infrastructure and support systems necessary to withstand even moderate rainfall, let alone the extreme weather events now becoming more frequent due to climate change. This tragedy underscores a critical reality: monsoon floods are no longer occasional disruptions but a chronic threat. Their increasing severity each year reveals the mounting toll of a changing climate on Pakistan. Nowhere is this clearer than in the northern regions.
According to the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), record-breaking temperatures were registered in Gilgit-Baltistan, with Chilas reaching an alarming 48.5°C, breaking its historical maximum of 47.7°C recorded in 1997. These unprecedented heat levels are accelerating the melting of glaciers, increasing the risk of glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs) and flash floods in nearby valleys. As the NDMA warns of continued heavy rains and potential river overflows until at least July 10, the urgency of a sustained, multi-tiered response cannot be overstated. Federal and provincial authorities must remain on high alert, but they must also look beyond short-term disaster management. What Pakistan needs is a long-term strategy for climate adaptation and mitigation. This includes investing in early warning systems, constructing resilient infrastructure, enhancing local community preparedness and enforcing land-use planning that avoids settlements in high-risk floodplains. Climate change is not a challenge Pakistan can tackle alone. Despite contributing minimally to global greenhouse gas emissions, Pakistan finds itself among the most climate-vulnerable countries in the world. It is time for the international community to step forward—with technical assistance, climate finance and policy support—to help Pakistan build resilience against climate-induced disasters.
