ISLAMABAD, Sep 08 (APP):Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Professor Ahsan Iqbal on Tuesday directed the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), Provincial Disaster Management Authorities (PDMAs) and other relevant departments to immediately commence preparations for Monsoon 2027. He also stressed that effective flood-prevention measures required eight to ten months of technical assessment, planning, approval, financing and execution. Chairing a meeting of the Prime Minister’s Emergency Response Committee on …
Ahsan directs climate-resilience audit, early preparations for Monsoon-2027
ISLAMABAD, Sep 08 (APP):Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Professor Ahsan Iqbal on Tuesday directed the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), Provincial Disaster Management Authorities (PDMAs) and other relevant departments to immediately commence preparations for Monsoon 2027.
He also stressed that effective flood-prevention measures required eight to ten months of technical assessment, planning, approval, financing and execution.
Chairing a meeting of the Prime Minister’s Emergency Response Committee on Monsoon Preparedness 2026, the minister ordered a comprehensive district-wise audit of areas affected by floods in 2022, 2025 and the current monsoon season, along with an assessment of outstanding rehabilitation needs and vulnerable infrastructure.
The meeting was attended by representatives of the NDMA, PDMAs, WAPDA, federal and provincial departments, district administrations and other relevant institutions.
Ahsan Iqbal appreciated the coordination among federal, provincial and district authorities, saying the whole-of-government approach had helped minimise the impact of seasonal abnormalities, including heavy rainfall, urban flooding, heatwaves and drought-like conditions.
“Last-minute emergency interventions cost more and deliver less. We must replace reactive measures with proactive planning, climate-resilient infrastructure and clearly assigned institutional responsibility,” he stressed.
The minister said many bridges, culverts, drains and flood-disposal structures had been designed decades ago and were no longer adequate to cope with challenges intensified by climate change.
He noted that undersized bridges and culverts obstructed water discharge in several areas, while drainage systems designed for much smaller flows now overflowed, inundating entire settlements.
The district-wise audit, to be jointly conducted by PDMAs, irrigation departments, communication and works departments, district administrations and other federal agencies, would identify obstructions and encroachments in floodplains and protective infrastructure.
Ahsan Iqbal directed that technically viable and time-sensitive flood-protection schemes identified through the exercise be processed through a Green Channel for expedited approval and funding.
He also directed provincial governments to assess the status of post-flood recovery and prepare roadmaps covering preventive interventions required before the next monsoon as well as rehabilitation of outstanding damage to enable affected communities to return to normal life.
The initial audit would be completed within one month, followed by time-bound action plans for the provinces and federal agencies, with implementation to be monitored through quarterly reviews.
The committee also discussed plastic waste as a major contributor to urban flooding. The minister called for a nationwide awareness and behaviour-change campaign, coupled with effective enforcement of restrictions on polythene bags.
He stressed that enforcement should be supported by a carefully designed transition across the plastic supply chain, from imports and manufacturing to retail use and waste management, besides promoting affordable biodegradable alternatives to protect both the environment and livelihoods.
“By throwing plastic into drains, people are mercilessly clogging the arteries of our cities,” he remarked.
The committee was informed that Monsoon 2026 had entered its withdrawal phase and no significant monsoon system was presently expected to affect Pakistan. Light rainfall could occur in northern areas due to western disturbances, while Sindh, Balochistan and southern Punjab were likely to remain dry.
Rainfall deficits exceeding 60 per cent in parts of Sindh and Balochistan had created serious water stress, while above-normal temperatures were expected to persist.
During October and November, northern Pakistan could receive normal to above-normal rainfall under the influence of western disturbances, potentially improving air quality. Sindh and much of Balochistan were expected to remain comparatively dry, while temperatures could remain above normal across the country. River flows were reported as normal, with no riverine flooding.
The committee reviewed incidents in Gilgit-Baltistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab and Balochistan, including landslides, road blockages, house collapses and localised flooding.
The cumulative monsoon toll reported to the meeting stood at 181 deaths and 515 injuries, while approximately 1,740 houses or structures had been damaged. An initial analysis showed that house collapses accounted for 95 deaths, around 52 per cent of the total.
The NDMA informed the meeting that it was undertaking a technical assessment of vulnerable housing and had shared reconstruction models with the provinces. A low-cost and environmentally sustainable reconstruction programme was expected to be implemented over the next two to three months.
Approximately 640 tonnes of relief assistance, including tents, food and camp supplies, had been dispatched to affected areas.
The meeting was also briefed on Pakistan’s dispatch of 100 tonnes of humanitarian assistance to Nepal, comprising family tents, blankets, hygiene supplies and medicines.
The minister directed the NDMA to prepare a comprehensive Monsoon 2026 closure report by the third week of September, documenting all committee meetings, decisions, response operations, lessons learned, institutional gaps and progress on directives.
Ahsan Iqbal emphasised that Pakistan’s disaster-management system must shift decisively from emergency reaction to anticipatory planning, technology-enabled forecasting, climate-resilient infrastructure and accountable rehabilitation.
