Floods displace two million in Pakistan, Musadik calls for focus on underprivileged

Federal Minister for Climate Change Musadik Malik said on Sunday that nearly two million people have been displaced across Pakistan due to devastating floods, warning that the brunt of the crisis is falling on the country’s poorest families.

“Our first, second, and third priority is the poorest 40 percent — around 800,000 people — who do not have wealthy relatives to rely on and are in dire need of aid,” Malik said addressing media, while flanked by National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) Chairman Lieutenant General Inam Haider Malik in Islamabad.

The climate minister urged the nation to stand with the poor. “If there is any NGO in your area or if you personally can help a displaced family, please do so,” he emphasised.

The government, he said, is prioritising urgent relief measures including the distribution of food, medicines, mosquito nets, clean drinking water, water tanks, and temporary electricity supplies to flood-hit communities.

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Authorities are also on high alert for the spread of epidemics in crowded makeshift camps.

Malik emphasised that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, despite being abroad, is receiving daily briefings and issuing guidance on relief operations. The same reports, he said, are shared with the country’s military leadership, Field Marshal General Syed Asim Munir who is personally supervising the situation on the ground.

“The federal government is standing shoulder to shoulder with the provinces, and the Army, Rangers, NDMA, PDMA, and Rescue 1122 are all working together,” Malik said. “No one can stop a natural disaster, but we are making every effort to mitigate its damage.”

The minister noted that early simulations and community evacuation drills conducted over the past six months have helped reduce the loss of human life compared to previous disasters, even as property, crops, and livelihoods have been destroyed.

Floodwaters remain a major threat at Head Trimmu, Head Panjnad, and Kot Mithan, where several rivers converge. Authorities are working to keep water flows below one million cusecs but are preparing for higher surges. Controlled breaches in uninhabited areas are planned to protect larger populations from disaster.

Malik pointed to Punjab’s geography — where five rivers converge — as a challenge, warning that the Panjnad system could face flows as high as three million cusecs if conditions worsen.

Beyond the immediate disaster, Malik underscored that Pakistan’s plight highlights the global climate crisis. “What we are calling climate change is a reality. Rising temperatures are melting glaciers, and this melting is causing disasters such as flash floods and blockages,” he said.

He noted that Pakistan contributes less than one percent of global carbon emissions, yet bears the brunt of the consequences. “The top 8 to 10 countries in the world are responsible for 70 percent of these emissions,” he stressed.

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In addition to praising the efforts of provincial governments and security forces in Narowal, Sialkot, and flood-hit parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Malik urged national unity and solidarity.

“Let me emphasise, no single institution can take credit for this. This responsibility belongs to Pakistan, and any relief being provided is for Pakistan,” he said. “Above all, the government stands with the poor.”

More floods likely in AJK

Meanwhile, NDMA’s National Crisis Operation Centre (NCOC) has warned of potential floods in various regions of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) due to expected heavy rainfall in the next 24 hours.

Residents in affected areas are advised to remain cautious and monitor updates from official sources.

Regions likely to be affected include Neelum Valley, Muzaffarabad, Bagh, Sharda Haveli, and Kotli. Authorities have cautioned that intense downpours in next 12 to 24 hours may lead to flooding in urban and low-lying areas, as well as landslides in mountainous terrain.

The disaster management authority has warned that people, particularly those residing near streams and low-lying areas, should remain alert due to the risk of sudden water surges following expected heavy rainfall. Citizens are urged to avoid unnecessary travel and stay away from vulnerable zones.

The NDMA has also called on the public and concerned institutions to implement precautionary measures and ensure safety protocols are in place to minimize potential damage.