National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) Chairman Lieutenant General Inam Haider on Monday warned that the ongoing seventh spell of monsoon rains poses serious risks due to accelerated glacier melt in Gilgit-Baltistan and Kashmir, while Islamabad and Rawalpindi could also be affected.
He added that two more monsoon spells are expected before the season ends on September 10.
Speaking at a joint media briefing with Federal Minister for Climate Change Musadik Malik and Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, the NDMA chief revealed that so far around 670 people have lost their lives, while 80 to 90 remain missing. He recalled the devastating 2022 floods, stressing that climate change has intensified both glacier melting and cloudburst incidents in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Lieutenant General Inam Haider said the government, in coordination with the Pakistan Army and other institutions, has set up over 400 relief camps. Army engineers and aviation units are assisting rescue efforts, while relief convoys are delivering food supplies to Buner and other affected areas. Major hospitals and CMHs have also been put on alert, and a national relief package will soon be approved by the Prime Minister.
Musadik Malik said Pakistan contributes less than 1% of global carbon emissions, yet suffers disproportionately from climate change, which is largely driven by major polluting nations. He assured that the federal government, together with provinces, is working to restore infrastructure, compensate victims, and support rehabilitation efforts.
Attaullah Tarar noted that the Prime Minister recently chaired a high-level meeting to review flood relief operations in KP and GB. He emphasized that pre-monsoon planning and NDMA’s early warning systems have enabled effective coordination with provincial governments, while the Pakistan Army and welfare organizations continue to provide relief.