NDMA Warns of Worsening Climate Change Effects in Pakistan
Lt Gen Inam Haider, Chairman of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), has warned that climate change impacts in Pakistan are intensifying and could rise by up to 22% next year.
Speaking before the Public Accounts Committee, he highlighted that rising temperatures are threatening the country’s glaciers and that upcoming challenges will be more severe than previous years. He also noted that the current monsoon season is expected to continue until September 10, with authorities closely monitoring reservoirs and water flow to prevent flooding.
So far, around 150,000 residents along the Sutlej River belt have been relocated for safety. In Gilgit-Baltistan, relief and rehabilitation efforts are ongoing, with 2,100 tons of aid already delivered to affected areas. Lt Gen Haider stressed the urgent evacuation of families still living in low-lying zones near rivers and canals.
Meanwhile, Federal Minister for Climate Change, Dr Musadik Malik, predicted that next year’s monsoon could be 30% stronger, starting two weeks earlier than usual and bringing two to three additional rain spells, potentially extending the season beyond normal timelines.
Officials urge residents to stay alert and follow safety guidelines as Pakistan braces for increasingly severe climate-related challenges.
