By Ashfaq Soomro
Every year the monsoon season in Pakistan brings not just blessings, but also immense challenges, especially for many vulnerable regions. While rain is generally seen as beneficial for agricultural lands, excessive and unseasonal rainfall, along with the resulting floods, often leads to widespread destruction. For instance, Punjab’s fertile plains, 65% of which have been affected by flooding, exemplify the scale of this devastation.There are multiple causes of floods and heavy rainfall in Pakistan, each contributing to both economic and human losses. In this universe, mankind has always been at the center of creation, relying on its natural instincts and innate abilities to achieve success and exert power. Similarly, nations across the globe take pride in their geographical resources be they natural, mineral, or self-sustaining and invest every possible effort in their growth and development.
In the modern world, economic success often revolves around oil, agriculture, technology, and armaments. Pakistan, despite being rich in natural and mineral resources, now faces destruction due to the increasing impacts of climate change.This demands urgent and deliberate action.
Key Causes of Rain and Flooding in Pakistan
Climate Change _ Global warming has disrupted weather patterns, affecting both the timing and intensity of rainfall. Today, rains either arrive late or occur in excessive amounts all at once, leading to flash floods. Unplanned Urbanization_ The expansion of cities without proper planning has led to the obstruction of natural water channels. The lack of effective drainage systems in both urban and rural areas causes rainwater to accumulate, often turning into devastating floods. Deforestation_ Trees play a vital role in absorbing and retaining water in the soil. Large-scale deforestation weakens the land, accelerates soil erosion, and heightens the risk of floods. Inadequate Dams and Barrages_ Many of the existing dams and protective structures have aged and deteriorated over time. The absence of new infrastructure makes it difficult to control water flow during heavy rainfall.
Impacts of Flooding
The consequences of flooding go beyond economic loss and take the form of humanitarian disasters:
Loss of Lives: Hundreds of people, including children, women, and the elderly, lose their lives to flooding every year.
Destruction of Homes: Thousands are displaced and rendered homeless, requiring extensive rehabilitation efforts.
Agricultural Loss: Crops submerged under floodwaters devastate rural livelihoods and lead to food shortages. Grazing lands for livestock are also destroyed, causing hunger and poverty to escalate.
Damage to Infrastructure: Roads, schools, hospitals, and power systems are severely damaged, requiring billions in repair and restoration.
Recommended Solutions
To mitigate these crises, the following actionable measures should be taken:
* Strict implementation of environmental policies.
* Strengthening and reconstructing canals and embankments.
* Improving urban and rural drainage systems.
* Launching national campaigns to promote afforestation.
* Raising public awareness to encourage preventive action.
If Pakistan is to be safeguarded against the catastrophic effects of rain and flooding, both short-term and long-term strategies must be adopted. Combating climate change will require collaboration between the government, private sector, and the public.
The Broader Perspective: Technology, Power, and Environmental Collapse.
Every day, natural disasters expose the limits of human science and serve as grim reminders of mankind’s vulnerability. Many nations, driven by self-interest, are exploiting technology in ways that may prove disastrous for future generations. It is undeniable that technology can be used both positively and negatively. Often, the hidden intentions behind technological advancements are more terrifying than the ones openly declared.
For example, a recent earthquake in Japan was controversially attributed to external interference. Japan, a technologically advanced and leading global exporter, had announced plans to challenge the dominance of the US dollar. Consequently, two major nuclear reactors in Japan were destroyed by an earthquake that struck precisely in that region — an incident many suspect was influenced by HAARP technology.
Similarly, Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi had aimed to unify African nations to create an alternative to the US dollar. In response, he too was brutally suppressed. Such actions reflect how the misuse of power, under the guise of technological advancement, can become hostile even to nature itself.
Scientific Assessment of Floods in Pakistan!
Pakistan is among the countries most vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change, particularly monsoon flooding. Over the past two decades, the increasing intensity and frequency of heavy rainfall have raised serious concerns among scientists, policymakers, and environmental experts.
Scientific causes of flooding include:
Rising Global Temperatures: Earth’s average temperature continues to increase, intensifying monsoon patterns.
Increased Evaporation: Higher temperatures lead to greater water vapor in the atmosphere, which results in heavier rainfall.
Melting Glaciers: The Arctic and Himalayan glaciers are melting at an alarming rate, raising river levels and accelerating water flow.
Urban Mismanagement: Unauthorized construction over drainage channels, poorly planned urban infrastructure, and inefficient drainage systems prevent the proper discharge of rainwater contributing to urban flooding.
Pakistan’s northern regions contain more than 7,000 glaciers. Due to global warming, the formation of glacial lakes has increased, which when they burst cause catastrophic floods.
Devastating Impact of the 2022 Floods!
* Over 1,700 lives lost
* 33 million people affected
* Widespread displacement
* Outbreaks of waterborne diseases like cholera, malaria and *dengue*
* Economic losses exceeding $30 billion.
* Major crop losses in Sindh and Balochistan including wheat, rice, and sugarcane.
* Decline in agricultural land fertility.
* Massive destruction of forests.
* Disruption of aquatic ecosystems and biodiversity.
To address these issues, Climate-Resilient Agriculture must be promoted to safeguard future food security.
Governance and Institutional Challenges!
Pakistan’s repeated failure to implement existing climate and disaster management policies remains a significant hurdle. Although the NDMA Act 2010 and Climate Change Policy 2021 exist, their enforcement is weak. Local governments often lack both training and resources a gap that must be urgently filled.
Pakistan must align its policies and development projects with international standardsto fully benefit from funding sources like the Green Climate Fund (GCF). A scientifically driven roadmap must be adopted that includes:
* Building climate-resilient infrastructure (e.g. roads, bridges, and homes on elevated land)
* Implementing water recharge systems
* Introducing climate science, environmental studies, and disaster risk management into school and university curricula. Floods are not merely natural disasters they are also the outcome of ignorance, mismanagement, and unchecked climate change. Pakistan must pursue a comprehensive strategy that integrates scientific knowledge, policy reforms, technological advancement, and public awareness.
