Heavy rainfall in Lahore broke a 44-year record, with 353 mm of rain recorded in the airport area. Low-lying areas faced flooding, causing difficulties for residents, while water accumulation on roads disrupted traffic flow. The power system was affected, with 407 feeders tripping. Meanwhile, heavy rains accompanied by strong winds and thunderstorms in Kashmir, Islamabad, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan, Sindh, and northeastern and southeastern Balochistan led to casualties and property damage.
Monsoon rains usually bring widespread flooding in many parts of the country, causing significant losses for the public. However, Lahore was fortunate as Punjab government agencies took timely and effective actions for water drainage. Rainwater was removed from hospitals and other areas in record time.
Collaboration among WASA, LDA, Lahore Waste Management Authority, and district administration ensured that tripped feeders were gradually restored through effective strategies. If such heavy rain had occurred in Karachi, the city would have faced urban flooding, taking at least seven days to recover, as witnessed in the past. In this context, the performance of the Punjab government and Lahore’s district administration is commendable and should serve as a role model for other provincial governments and urban and rural administrations.
For years, negligence by the government and relevant agencies has had dire consequences, and now the people, already suffering from poverty and inflation, can no longer bear the burden. All small and large cities in Pakistan are engulfed in filth, with streets and neighborhoods submerged in sewage, and government machinery only springs into action when complete destruction occurs. Even then, millions from the national treasury are spent merely on appearances.
Global warming, climate change, and regional weather shifts are increasing the intensity of rainfall and flood risks, yet federal and provincial governments lack effective preventive measures. Experts have repeatedly warned that immediate actions are needed to protect the earth from climate change-induced disasters. The earth is rapidly undergoing environmental changes, and global temperatures are rising.
According to experts, unusual rainfall due to climate change has caused floods in rivers and streams, increased water flow in rivers, and more incidents of lightning strikes in Balochistan, Punjab, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Pakistan is currently facing continuous rainfall and flood destruction, resulting in significant annual losses. Climatic shifts are causing off-season rains, and relevant agencies are failing to plan ahead, leaving the public to bear the consequences. As meteorologists predicted, this year’s unusual heavy rains have caused considerable losses nationwide.
Among the ten countries most affected by natural disasters due to climate change, Pakistan is included. The impact of these changes is evident and severe, with the country’s annual temperature increasing by 0.63 degrees Celsius over the last century, and the sea level along Pakistan’s Arabian Sea coast rising by one millimeter per year.
Experts predict that these effects will intensify in the coming years. They foresee that climatic events, environmental degradation, and air pollution could collectively reduce Pakistan’s GDP by 18 to 20 percent by 2050. These changes also affect people’s living conditions and livelihoods. Developing countries like Pakistan, which have not contributed significantly to climate change, still face its impacts and must confront them, as Pakistan is doing now.
The primary cause of climate change worldwide is the increasing emission of greenhouse gases, which continue to rise each year. Heatwaves and unseasonal rains have severely affected Pakistan’s agricultural production, and such climatic events are expected to increase in the future. If this happens, Pakistan, already at severe risk in terms of food security, will face further challenges. The Asian Development Bank has predicted a significant decline in the cultivation of key food and cash crops like wheat, sugarcane, rice, maize, and cotton in the coming years due to rising prices and climate change.
In light of this, we need to move forward very cautiously. This situation also negatively impacts the national economy, causing concern for governments and administrations, as a large portion of the budget is spent on mitigating flood-related damages. Meanwhile, the performance standards of municipal, district, and provincial government institutions are declining rather than improving.
Mismanagement and imbalance in institutional powers and duties are causing the public to suffer. Municipal and provincial departments have millions of employees who receive billions in salaries and benefits from the government treasury each month, yet their performance is extremely poor. Every year, before the monsoon rains, grand claims are made at governmental and administrative levels, but when the rains come, these claims are exposed.
A nationwide tree plantation campaign has begun, and planting trees in an area significantly helps mitigate the effects of climate change. In Pakistan, deforestation has increased air pollution and severely impacted wildlife, with many animal species nearing extinction. The lack of greenery reduces fresh oxygen and increases carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
Deforestation also causes flooding, as trees act like nails in the ground. Pakistan is one of the countries in the region with the least forest cover, comprising only four percent of its land area. Accurate and scientific measurements might reveal an even lower percentage. Forests improve the climate and reduce temperature extremes.
Moreover, trees increase atmospheric moisture, leading to rainfall. Their roots bind soil together, maintaining its fertility. Without forests, rivers carry large amounts of sand and soil, filling dams and lakes with silt, reducing water storage for agriculture. In waterlogged areas, trees are very beneficial, as they absorb water from the ground, lowering the water table. Experts have suggested implementing strict laws to protect trees and forests.
Every individual in Pakistan must play their part in mitigating the effects of climate change. Climate scientists suggest that reducing the use of vehicles and machines, walking more, exercising, and planting more trees are individual actions that can collectively have a positive impact on our environment and climate.