ISLAMABAD: Chairman of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) Lt-Gen Inam Haider Malik on Tuesday informed the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of a projected 22 percent increase in natural disasters in Pakistan for the coming year.
During his briefing to the PAC, chaired by Junaid Akbar, the NDMA boss called for immediate action to address the alarming rate of glacier melt threatening the country’s environmental and economic stability.
The NDMA chief highlighted that Pakistan is home to 7,500 glaciers, nearly half of which – around 45 percent – are currently melting.
He warned that a global temperature rise of just two degrees Celsius could result in the loss of 65 percent of these glaciers.
Describing climate change as a critical national security threat, Haider underscored the urgency of proactive disaster management measures. “One dollar of pre-disaster assistance is better than eleven dollars of post-disaster aid,” he added. He also pointed to the country’s rapidly growing population, which could make it the world’s third most populous country by 2050.
He noted the country’s vulnerability to even moderate rainfall, saying that 200 millimetres of rain can trigger devastating floods.
To mitigate risks during the monsoon season, he suggested temporarily restricting tourism for two to three weeks.
He also highlighted advances in disaster prediction technology, including China’s ability to forecast disasters up to 12 months in advance and NDMA’s own emerging systems supported by data from over 370 satellites worldwide, including those from NASA and Europe.
Lt Gen Malik informed the committee that a flood is currently approaching from Bahawalnagar towards Sulemanki, signalling the ongoing threat from extreme weather events.
The committee also raised concerns over governance and financial transparency.
Sanaullah Mastikhel, a member of the PAC, alleged that funds intended for an early warning system had been diverted to the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP), the country’s flagship social safety net, threatening to file a formal complaint if the claims were substantiated.
Senator Afnan Ullah inquired about the role of recently launched satellites in remote sensing, to which the NDMA chairman confirmed the agency’s access to extensive satellite data to enhance disaster monitoring and response.
The top parliamentary watchdog also took note of a controversial 40 percent self-approved salary increase by the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP), seeking further details from the Ministry of Finance.
The panel also issued a stern warning regarding unchecked salary increases by state institutions. It cautioned that if such practices continue unchecked, it could lead to a rule of the jungle scenario within the public sector.
The committee emphasised that this must be stopped immediately, and those responsible for unauthorized pay hikes should face exemplary punishment.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Comments
Comments are closed for this article.