It is easy to confuse images and videos from Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) for scenes from a post-apocalyptic film.  It is impossible to describe the extent of the devastation inflicted by flash floods.  The floods killed hundreds of people and destroyed entire communities in a matter of minutes.  Including the deaths reported from KP on Monday, there have been almost to 400 deaths in KP thus far.  Many people are still unaccounted for.  In a nation with carbon emissions that pale in comparison to wealthy nations, the fact that it took the horrific rains several minutes to wreak havoc in the north serves as a stark reminder of both our vulnerability to climate change and the power of floods.

To the government’s credit, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif promised that the federal government would fully support KP communities affected by the floods.  The information minister also provided specifics about the relief that has been delivered to the impacted areas thus far.  At least 70% of the regions that experienced power outages are already back online.  Heavy rains are falling in almost every region of the nation.  Karachi residents also awoke to torrential downpours on Tuesday.  At the time of writing, there were no confirmed fatalities, but life came to a complete halt due to flooded streets and power shortages. This year’s rain disaster poses an essential question: obviously, climate change is not in the government’s control, but what did we do to avert the repeat of the 2022 floods?  The atrocities of today are comparable to those of three years ago, and regrettably, no progress has been made in preparing our towns and cities for climate change. 

The PTI government needs to answer for its lack of readiness in the KP environment.  At the expense of its citizens, the ruling party is consumed with its battle against the federal government.  We must avoid this.  Flood losses cannot be undone, but political disputes can wait. Nevertheless, there is considerable recognition in the political community.  Senator Sherry Rehman said during her remarks at the National Climate Justice Youth Film Festival on Monday that Pakistan is enmeshed in a cycle of climate catastrophes that are exacerbated by both harmful internal policies and a dearth of international assistance. Pakistan is on its own, as has been stated numerous times before. It is our responsibility to prepare for disasters rather than depending for a wealthy country to save us.

Developed countries have also been impacted by climate change. Climate disasters will not spare anyone, as evidenced by the devastation in the United States and the upheaval in the United Arab Emirates last year. Political will is what separates these nations from Pakistan. These nations typically take a proactive stance, initiating measures to prevent tragedies from happening again. In this case, the government concentrates on repairing the leaks. The days of conferences and discussions are long gone. It is necessary to halt or reorganize ongoing projects that are gravely harmful to the environment. People should be moved and structures that are in the way of rivers should be taken down. Every stakeholder must understand that our nation is the one place we can call home, and it is our responsibility to safeguard it against all types of calamities, including—indeed, particularly—unpredictable ones. Many people are asking how much hope we have in the face of unpredictable weather as our cities struggle with severe conditions, especially because Karachi is also experiencing a heavy downpour at the moment.