Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has emphasized that increasing Pakistan’s water storage capacity is the most urgent and effective solution to cope with natural disasters and the challenges of climate change. He stated that enhancing the capacity of existing reservoirs, including the Diamer-Bhasha Dam, has become an unavoidable necessity.
During a briefing held in Lahore, the Prime Minister was updated on the recent floods and their devastating impact on affected regions. The meeting was attended by Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, Federal Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal, provincial and federal ministers, the Chairman of NDMA, the Chief Secretary, and the Inspector General of Police, among other senior officials.
The Prime Minister noted that the recent floods initially struck Gilgit-Baltistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa before causing destruction in the plains of Punjab, leading to the tragic loss of human lives. He offered prayers for the deceased and expressed condolences to their families.
Shehbaz Sharif praised the efforts of the Punjab administration under the Chief Minister’s leadership, acknowledging the tireless work of PDMA, Rescue 1122, the Health Department, police, and other agencies. He also lauded the Pakistan Army, NDMA, and local leadership for providing helicopters, boats, and other essential facilities to assist the public.
He stressed that it was this teamwork that significantly reduced the scale of damage. Referring to the 2022 floods, the Prime Minister recalled that Sindh and Balochistan had been the worst affected, causing Pakistan to suffer billions of dollars in losses.
Highlighting that Pakistan remains one of the countries most vulnerable to climate change, he warned that similar disasters could occur in the future. He urged the federal and provincial governments to work together to confront this challenge.
Shehbaz Sharif underlined that the most crucial step is to expand water storage capacity to control flash floods and minimize destruction. He added that initiating work on dams and storage enhancement immediately is vital, as achieving this major goal will take many years.
The Prime Minister concluded with a prayer for divine mercy to lessen the floodwaters heading towards Sindh.
