Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday ordered the formation of a federal Emergency Response Committee and directed nationwide preparedness ahead of the monsoon season. He also instructed federal and provincial authorities to strengthen coordination against climate-related risks. The measures aim to improve disaster response as above-normal rainfall is forecast for July.
Chairing a high-level meeting in Islamabad, the prime minister directed Climate Change Minister Musadik Malik and National Disaster Management Authority Chairman Lieutenant General Inam Haider Malik to visit all provinces, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and Gilgit-Baltistan this week. They will review emergency preparedness and assess provincial arrangements. Shehbaz said Pakistan remains among the countries most vulnerable to climate change and stressed the need for coordinated action.
The prime minister ordered the establishment of an Emergency Response Committee headed by Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal. The committee will include the NDMA and other relevant federal ministries and will meet weekly to monitor preparedness and coordinate responses with provincial governments. Shehbaz also instructed Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb to complete advance planning for an emergency fund to support relief efforts during any monsoon-related disasters.
The premier further directed authorities to prepare a comprehensive flood management roadmap based on lessons from previous years. He instructed provincial governments to remove encroachments blocking rivers and flood channels before heavy rainfall begins. During the meeting, the NDMA briefed participants that Pakistan is likely to experience prolonged heatwaves alongside above-normal rainfall in July and said contingency measures were already underway.
Separately, Shehbaz directed the Overseas Pakistanis Foundation to prepare a comprehensive roadmap to improve welfare initiatives for overseas Pakistanis. He described the diaspora as a valuable national asset and instructed the OPF to accelerate ongoing projects. The prime minister noted that overseas Pakistanis contribute nearly $40 billion annually in remittances, making them a vital source of foreign exchange for the country’s economy.