Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has instructed federal and provincial authorities to begin immediate preparations to prevent any loss of life or property from next year’s monsoon season.
The directives came during a high-level meeting chaired by the Prime Minister in Islamabad, focused on government strategies to mitigate the adverse effects of climate change. The meeting emphasized coordinated planning between the Ministry of Climate Change, Ministry of Planning, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), and provincial governments.
The Prime Minister also directed preparations for a National Water Council meeting to strengthen national-level water management planning. He approved the implementation of short-term plans presented by the Ministry of Climate Change and ordered their immediate execution.
“Pakistan is a developing country, yet every three years we spend a significant portion of GDP mitigating the adverse effects of climate change,” the Prime Minister noted. He added that the country’s limited resources are often used to address climate impacts rather than drive development.
Highlighting Pakistan’s minimal role in global climate change, the Prime Minister stressed that the nation remains highly vulnerable to its consequences. The meeting received briefings on global monsoon projections and short-, medium-, and long-term mitigation plans.
Federal ministers Ahsan Iqbal, Ahad Khan Cheema, Muhammad Aurangzeb, Dr. Masood Malik, Attaullah Tarar, and senior officials also attended the session.
