PM Shehbaz orders urgent nationwide preparations for 2026 monsoon season

KARACHI: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday directed all relevant federal and provincial authorities to begin early, coordinated preparations for the upcoming monsoon season, warning that Pakistan cannot afford any delay in measures required to protect lives and property from expected climate-related hazards.
Chairing a high-level meeting on monsoon preparedness, the prime minister approved the short-term action plan presented by the Ministry of Climate Change and ordered its immediate implementation. He emphasized that Pakistan must shift from reactive crisis management to proactive planning, given repeated losses from extreme weather events.
“The country cannot continue diverting huge portions of its GDP toward disaster recovery every year,” the prime minister said, noting that Pakistan suffers severe climate impacts despite contributing negligibly to global carbon emissions.
He directed the Ministry of Climate Change, Ministry of Planning, and National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) to work in close coordination with provincial governments to ensure integrated planning and preventive measures ahead of next year’s monsoon.
The prime minister also instructed authorities to convene a session of the National Water Council to develop a national strategy for water storage, drainage systems, river flow management, and long-term flood resilience.
Officials briefed the meeting on global forecasts and early indicators suggesting potential risks during the 2026 monsoon. The Ministry of Climate Change outlined short-, medium-, and long-term strategies, including strengthening drainage networks, enhancing early warning systems, improving embankments, and reinforcing vulnerable infrastructure.
Federal ministers Ahsan Iqbal, Ahad Khan Cheema, Muhammad Aurangzeb, Dr. Musadik Malik, Attaullah Tarar, and other senior officials attended the meeting.