PM orders stronger monsoon readiness across Pakistan

During a meeting with National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) Chairman Lieutenant General Inam Haider Malik in Islamabad on

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has directed authorities to strengthen coordination between federal and provincial institutions as Pakistan braces for the ongoing monsoon season, emphasizing the need for swift preparedness to deal with potential emergencies.

During a meeting with National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) Chairman Lieutenant General Inam Haider Malik in Islamabad on Wednesday, the prime minister reviewed the country’s disaster response strategy and received a briefing on measures being taken to minimize the impact of heavy rainfall.

Officials informed the premier about the activation of the national early warning system and ongoing coordination with the Ministry of Climate Change to improve disaster preparedness. Shehbaz stressed that close cooperation between provincial governments and disaster management authorities is essential to ensure a timely and effective response to any emergency.

Earlier this month, the prime minister had ordered the establishment of a federal emergency response committee and instructed the climate change minister and the NDMA chairman to visit all provinces, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and Gilgit-Baltistan to assess local preparedness for the monsoon season.

The renewed focus on disaster management follows forecasts by the Pakistan Meteorological Department, which warned of widespread rainfall driven by a fresh monsoon system and a westerly weather disturbance. Authorities have cautioned that heavy downpours could damage infrastructure, including solar panels, electricity poles, and billboards.

The weather department has also warned of possible landslides in vulnerable mountainous areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan, and Kashmir, while urban and flash flooding remains a concern in several major cities, including Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Lahore, Faisalabad, Peshawar, Gujranwala, Sialkot, Narowal, and Nowshera. Citizens have been urged to stay alert and follow official advisories as the monsoon season continues.