Emergency Response Committee formed as premier orders coordinated action to tackle flood risks and climate-related disasters
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday directed federal and provincial authorities to step up preparations for the upcoming monsoon season, ordering the establishment of a national emergency response mechanism and stressing that coordinated action is essential to minimise the growing risks posed by climate change.
Chairing a high-level meeting on monsoon preparedness and climate resilience, the prime minister said Pakistan remains among the countries most vulnerable to the adverse impacts of climate change, underscoring the need for effective cooperation between the federal and provincial governments to deal with climate-related emergencies.
The prime minister approved the formation of an Emergency Response Committee, which will be headed by Ahsan Iqbal. The committee will comprise representatives of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and relevant federal ministries, and will work closely with provincial governments while holding weekly meetings throughout the monsoon season to monitor preparedness and response efforts.
He also directed Muhammad Aurangzeb to make advance arrangements for an emergency fund that could be mobilised in the event of severe monsoon-related disasters.
The meeting was attended by Khawaja Muhammad Asif, Muhammad Aurangzeb, Ahsan Iqbal, Attaullah Tarar, Sardar Awais Ahmad Khan Leghari, Musadik Malik, Shaza Fatima Khawaja, Azam Nazeer Tarar, Adviser to the Prime Minister Rana Sanaullah, Minister of State for Finance Bilal Azhar Kayani, the Chairman of WAPDA, chief secretaries of all provinces and senior government officials.
As part of the preparedness strategy, the prime minister instructed the Minister for Climate Change and the NDMA chairman to undertake emergency visits this week to all provinces, Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan to assess and finalise monsoon preparedness plans.
He further directed that projects financed by international development partners should strengthen the institutional and technical capacity of national and local authorities responsible for disaster management.
Highlighting the government’s commitment to water security, the prime minister noted that an additional Rs330 billion had been allocated in the federal budget for FY2026-27 to accelerate the completion of major water infrastructure projects.
Recalling the lessons from previous flood disasters, he instructed all relevant institutions to implement a comprehensive flood mitigation roadmap and directed provincial governments to remove illegal encroachments and other obstructions from river channels and flood pathways, particularly in districts considered highly vulnerable to flooding.
The prime minister also instructed all federal and provincial departments to deploy their full administrative and technical resources to facilitate and protect the public throughout the monsoon season.
During the meeting, Lieutenant General Inam Haider Malik briefed participants on expected weather patterns, flood risks and evolving climate trends.
According to the NDMA, many parts of the world are expected to experience extreme heatwaves and unusual weather conditions this year. Pakistan is also forecast to face prolonged heatwaves alongside above-normal rainfall during July, increasing the likelihood of flooding in vulnerable regions.
The NDMA informed the meeting that comprehensive contingency measures were already being implemented under a national preparedness strategy to strengthen the country’s response to potential monsoon-related emergencies.
