Daily Times

Normally, April is not a month of rain, what to say of heavy rainfall but in our part of the world, this has gradually become a mini-monsoon. For the past three days, the unrelenting rains lashing Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Kashmir have been a wake-up call for Pakistan’s vulnerability to a changing climate pattern. The government as well as the public must wake up to the new reality and ensuing consequence of global inaction and our lack of preparedness.

Seventeen lives lost, mud houses swept away, and infrastructure crumbling – these are the immediate casualties, that the media has reported in a single day. But the true cost runs deeper. Roads severed, communication disrupted, and entire communities stranded paint a picture of a nation ill-equipped to handle the climate challenges we now face. The overflowing dams and flash floods expose a critical flaw – a lack of disaster mitigation strategies. Where are the early warning systems, evacuation plans, and robust infrastructure that can withstand such weather events? Did we learn any lessons from the last year’s deadliest monsoon inflicts?

The blame lies not just with a warming planet, but with years of neglecting climate adaptation. We cannot control the downpours, but we can build resilience. Investment in stronger infrastructure, flood control measures, and robust early warning systems is no longer a luxury, but a matter of life and death. The tragedy in Chaman, where a family was washed away, is a heart-wrenching example. Imagine the countless such stories occurring across the affected regions and still unreported. This is not just about reported and unreported data; it is about shattered lives and a future hanging in the balance.

The government’s silence in the face of the rain-related crisis is deafening. We need action, not apathy. We need a national conversation on climate change, a concrete plan for adaptation, and a commitment to hold polluters accountable.

Not to repeat that Pakistan, a nation with a minimal carbon footprint, bears the brunt of a crisis not of its making. Developed nations, the biggest contributors to climate change, must step up. Technology transfer, financial aid, and a shared responsibility for adaptation are crucial. The time for lip service is over. These unprecedented rains are a wake-up call. We must adapt, mitigate, and demand action. The future of our country, quite literally, depends on it. *