The monsoon season in Pakistan has long heralded unwelcome consequences. The rains have always brought with them urban disruption, prolonged power outages, and significant property damage. However, if recent years are anything to go by, the paradigm of the monsoon season has significantly shifted. The annual torrents not only arrive with their usual intensity but also pose a new and alarming challenge: the specter of extensive urban flooding.
While international bodies discuss changing methods of energy consumption to combat climate change in the long run, the urgency of the situation is acutely felt here in Pakistan. Our country is already experiencing the tangible impacts of climate change, with severe consequences unfolding before our eyes. Last year, we bore witness to alarming manifestations of the crisis, with entire districts drowning, and unfortunately, the outlook for the immediate years to come does not appear to be any different.
Amidst Pakistan’s pursuit of securing the IMF tranche and the complex web of internal politics, the issue of floods often gets sidelined, devoid of the attention it urgently requires. In fact, it takes the loss of lives within Lahore for the federal government to finally acknowledge the magnitude of the problem at hand. It is almost disappointing to witness that, despite the colossal crises that Pakistan faced last year, we find ourselves equally ill-equipped this year to confront the looming disaster before us. The federal government’s continued lack of prioritisation, coupled with its failure to allocate sufficient resources, underscores a distressing negligence towards the imminent threats we face. While poor urban governance may not be the sole reason, it undeniably exacerbates the problem. Ineffective coordination among relevant authorities, inadequate maintenance of drainage systems, and the prevalence of encroachments on natural waterways all contribute to the severity of flooding. Without a holistic approach that addresses these governance issues, any piecemeal efforts to combat urban flooding will fall short of achieving sustainable and long-term solutions.
However, governments cannot be solely held accountable for the challenges we face; they are at least theoretically a direct reflection of the choices made by the electorate. It would be unfair to attribute the entire burden of the problem to climate change and solely blame the federal government for its incompetency in the matter. A more nuanced and introspective approach is needed to recognise the multiple catalysts contributing to the issue at hand. While addressing these problems may still fall to the federal government, they reveal deeper structural flaws ingrained within the governance system of the country, flaws that cannot be easily rectified within a single tenure. It also remains imperative to acknowledge that even when the government does issue warnings through local government offices and advisory committees, they are frequently disregarded. This unfortunate reality adds another layer to Pakistan’s perfect storm of the climate crisis, perpetuating the cycle of vulnerability and inadequate response.
It is worth emphasising that every political party, in theory, should benefit from effectively addressing issues such as floods in Pakistan. Regardless of their political narratives, no government desires to see its people suffer. Thus, the shared goal of mitigating flood-related challenges should logically motivate all parties to take action. However, despite this seemingly straightforward objective, the question remains as to why the desired outcomes have not been achieved.
The answer, unfortunately, is quite simple. The failure to address the issues of floods in Pakistan goes beyond mere mismanagement of disasters. It reflects a deeper crisis stemming from ineffective governance and a growing sense of distrust between the government and its people. Regardless of the political party in power, no government can effectively coordinate relief efforts without the support and assistance of its citizens. The significance of cooperation between the government and her people becomes particularly evident when tackling any challenges that warrant long-term reforms. Until trust in our government is restored, effectively managing the climate crisis, along with any other crisis, will remain an ongoing struggle.
Climate change is undeniably on the cards for Pakistan, signaling the urgent need to prepare for its impending challenges. However, the battle against climate change cannot be fought effectively without addressing the deep-rooted structural issues in administration and the growing mistrust between the government and its people. We cannot hope to undertake even relatively simple projects, such as road construction, let alone implement extensive reforms, unless these structural flaws with governance are effectively solved.