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ISLAMABAD, Aug 20 (APP):Muhammad Anwar, Chief Executive Officer of Freedom Gate Prosperity (FGP), on Tuesday expressed deep sorrow over the widespread devastation caused by recent floods across Pakistan, which have claimed hundreds of lives and destroyed thousands of homes.
Expressing concern over the alarming scale of destruction during this year’s monsoon season, he noted that more than 700 people have lost their lives while nearly 1,000 others have been injured nationwide.
According to official figures, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa remained the worst-affected province with 427 deaths, including 228 in Buner District alone. Punjab has reported 164 fatalities, Azad Jammu & Kashmir 56, Sindh 29 — including 10 in Karachi — Balochistan 22, Islamabad eight, and Gilgit-Baltistan 11. In addition, more than 209 individuals remain missing, while over 2,400 houses have been damaged or destroyed.
“Even the capital, Islamabad, suffers from repeated urban flooding and trail closures due to heavy rains. This is not only our battle; climate change is a global crisis. From Europe to Asia, from Africa to the Americas, communities are facing similar disasters. We must adopt safeguards and adjust our lifestyles to survive and thrive in this new reality,” he regretted.
Calling for a “unity of action,” the FGP chief urged governments, opposition parties, civil society, and citizens to join hands in responding to the challenge.
He underlined the need to reduce dependence on plastics — particularly single-use bags that block drainage systems — while promoting public transport, carpooling, and walking to cut emissions.
He further stressed that tree plantation and urban greenery must be pursued as ongoing practices rather than one-time symbolic campaigns.
“Communities should prepare for emergencies by learning basic disaster response measures and planning collectively for resilience,” he advised.
Concluding his remarks, Muhammad Anwar emphasized that the way forward lies in adopting climate-smart lifestyles and policies.