ISLAMABAD, Aug 27 (APP): Federal Minister for Climate Change and Environmental Coordination, Dr. Musadik Malik said on Wednesday that the federal government has evolved a strategy to demolish all illegal and unsafe resorts built along riverbanks to avoid flood risks, warning that no one, no matter how powerful, will be spared.
“These luxury resorts, whether legal or illegal, are not just buildings. In floods, they turn into missiles that smash through downstream villages, destroying lives and livelihoods,” Malik said while addressing the CIPFA-ICAP Public Financial Management Conference here.
He said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had issued clear orders for their removal, adding: “We will raze them all. No exceptions, no exemptions.”
The minister said that unregulated construction along riverbanks has worsened the impact of floods, compounding Pakistan’s climate vulnerability.
With over 7,000 glaciers feeding rivers from the Himalayas, Pakistan faces frequent flash floods and glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs).
“When glacial lakes burst, they unleash walls of water and boulders. Any obstacle in their way becomes a weapon of destruction,” he warned.
Malik tied the domestic crisis to global climate injustice, pointing out that a handful of major economies contribute nearly three-quarters of the world’s carbon emissions while vulnerable countries like Pakistan are left to suffer.
“Pakistan’s share is less than one percent, but we are among the worst hit. And yet those responsible for this destruction consume almost 80 percent of the Green Climate Fund,” he said.
He assured that the federal government will support provinces in strengthening urban drainage, disaster preparedness, and zoning enforcement.
“Punjab, Sindh, KP, Balochistan, Gilgit-Baltistan, and AJK—all provinces and regions—will get equal support. The federation stands with every city,” Malik said.
Admitting gaps in Pakistan’s ability to access international funds, Malik said stronger technical capacity and better-prepared projects are needed to secure global financing.
“It is not only the world’s fault. Unless we improve, we will continue to lose out,” he noted.
Calling climate change “a present and undeniable reality,” Malik stressed the urgency of both local reforms and global fairness.
“We cannot afford delay. Unsafe riverbank construction must go, our cities must prepare, and the world must deliver justice,” he concluded.