Expected monsoon floods: PM orders finalising emergency fund for rapid response

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday ordered urgent, coordinated national readiness to brace for looming monsoon floods, directing the finance ministry to swiftly finalise an emergency contingency fund for rapid response to any climate-driven disaster this season.

Chairing a high-level review meeting on monsoon preparedness, climate resilience and environmental risk management, the prime minister stressed that Pakistan must strengthen both immediate response capacity and long-term institutional resilience in the face of increasingly severe climate impacts.

He directed Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb to ensure advance groundwork for the emergency fund so that resources could be deployed without delay in the event of flooding or other natural disasters.

READ MORE: Met Office forecasts nationwide monsoon rains, warns of flash floods

The prime minister said projects financed through foreign assistance should be explicitly directed towards improving the operational capacity of national and provincial institutions, particularly in disaster response and water management.

He also highlighted that, in the federal budget for 2026-27, an additional Rs330 billion has been allocated for water-related development projects aimed at strengthening national water security and accelerating completion of critical infrastructure.

Emphasising lessons learned from past flood events, Sharif called for a structured national roadmap to address monsoon risks, including coordinated preventive measures, early warning systems, and rapid response mechanisms.

He further directed provincial governments to urgently remove encroachments from riverbeds and natural water channels, particularly in vulnerable districts, warning that obstruction of flood routes had historically worsened the scale of damage.

The prime minister underlined the need for ensuring that all relevant institutions operate at full technical and administrative capacity throughout the monsoon season, with a strong focus on public facilitation and timely response to emergencies.

He also stressed that effective coordination between federal and provincial authorities was essential, noting that Pakistan remains among the countries most severely affected by climate change.

To strengthen preparedness, the prime minister instructed the Minister for Climate Change Musadik Malik and the Chairman of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) Inam Haider Malik, a sitting three-star military general, to undertake immediate visits to all provinces, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and Gilgit-Baltistan to review on-ground arrangements and ensure readiness before peak monsoon activity.

He also ordered the formation of an emergency response committee comprising the Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal, NDMA officials, and other relevant federal departments to maintain weekly coordination with provincial counterparts.

During the briefing, the NDMA chairman briefed the participants on expected rainfall patterns, flood risks, and evolving climate trends.

According to NDMA assessments, extreme heatwaves and unusual weather variability are anticipated globally this year, with Pakistan expected to experience above-normal temperatures and irregular rainfall patterns in July.

The authority also outlined operational preparedness measures currently underway to mitigate potential impacts.

The meeting was attended by Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, Power Minister Awais Leghari, Climate Change Minister Musadik Malik, IT Minister Shaza Fatima, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah, and Minister of State for Finance Azhar Bilal Kiyani, alongside chairmen NDMA, WAPDA, all provincial chief secretaries, and senior officials from relevant federal and provincial institutions.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026