Chairman of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), Lieutenant General Inam Haider, has issued a warning that the rapid melting of glaciers poses a serious threat to the mountainous regions of Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Kashmir, with its impact likely to extend to major cities such as Islamabad and Rawalpindi.
Speaking at a joint media briefing alongside Federal Minister for Information Attaullah Tarar and Federal Minister for Climate Change Musadik Malik, the NDMA Chairman stated that heavy rains across the country have resulted in the loss of 670 lives so far. He added that the search for those missing in the floodwaters is ongoing and expressed hope that the situation would normalize by the end of September. According to him, between 80 to 90 people remain missing nationwide following the recent torrential rains.
Federal Minister for Information Attaullah Tarar told the press that a high-level meeting chaired by the Prime Minister reviewed the latest flood situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit-Baltistan. He said relief operations and assistance efforts in affected areas were also examined. Highlighting the impact of climate change, he noted that widespread devastation is ongoing but assured that relief supplies are being delivered to flood-affected populations without delay.
The Minister of Information emphasized that the NDMA is in close coordination with Provincial Disaster Management Authorities (PDMAs), and the federal government is fulfilling its role as a national responsibility. He explained that under the early warning system, data has been regularly shared with authorities, while the federal government is actively supporting the rehabilitation of affected regions.
At the same briefing, Federal Minister for Climate Change Musadik Malik remarked that climate change has led to dangerous cloudburst phenomena, resulting in large-scale destruction. He said the government is striving to compensate the flood victims for their losses and expressed deep sympathy with the affected families. He further stressed that infrastructure rehabilitation will require joint efforts with all provinces to ensure recovery and resilience.
