Pakistan has been experiencing regular flooding for the past two decades, but it is a pity that we are caught off guard every single time. This year, Mother Nature is again in an unforgiving mood as heavy rains and thunderstorms have continued to wreak havoc due to the latest round of monsoons, which began on July 1.
The death toll because of rain-related incidents has already risen to 209, with 362 injured and over two thousand houses have been damaged. Raging flash floods continue to sweep roads and other infrastructure, leaving the authorities with little option but to resort to damage control. Emergency has been imposed in many union councils in Balochistan, where the situation can take a turn for the worse very fast. Meanwhile, disaster management authorities claim to be doing their utmost best to provide shelter, food and medical supplies to the rain-stricken.
Sadly, this has become all too familiar in a country, which is in no shape to constantly bear the brunt of a furious environment. There remains little doubt about Pakistan having to pay the price of global carbon emissions despite playing a negligible role in the industrial revolution. Nevertheless, to blame the entire tragedy solely on the forces of nature while brushing other factors responsible for the lethal combination under the rug will only lead us to wallow in bitter self-pity. Nothing else and nothing more. It is no longer 2022 when a flood of biblical proportions tore through the front yard, prompting diplomats and scientists from over the world to urge the Global North to cave into the moral pressure and rush to the aid of a climate-vulnerable nation being wracked by weather extremes.
Unfulfilled pledges, however, confirm that even then, the international community was hesitant to loosen its drawstrings. Today, we will be asked stinging questions about the vulnerability of the underprivileged provinces and the progress of rain-resilient development when seeking aid from other countries, especially when concerns have already been raised by environmental experts, civic society and even the higher judiciary.
For every bridge washed away, every highway blocked, and every house collapsed, the state would have to come up with an appropriate explanation not only for its people but also for its potential donors. While Rome may not have been built in one day, we still need to show the investments made so far in upgrading the infrastructure and drainage systems to improve the response to natural disasters and protect the hapless masses against the devastating impacts of climate change. *