ISLAMABAD – Usman Shami, analyst and Executive Editor Daily Pakistan, raised serious concerns over Pakistan’s preparedness for natural disasters, saying neither federal nor provincial governments have concrete strategy in place, as nearly 400 Pakistanis died lately in natural disasters.
Speaking on Dunya TV’s program Think Tank, Shami said Pakistan Army remains the first responders during disasters, while civil institutions totallty lack ability to manage such crises effectively. Alongside armed forces, our civil institutions must also be equipped to handle natural disasters, he said, calling for systemic reforms.
He pointed out that while countries worldwide use modern technology to implement early flood warning systems to save lives, Pakistan still does not have such a system in place. In 2017, World Bank provided $188 million to Pakistan for hydromet modernization, including $106 million specifically for a flood warning radar system. However, due to inter-institutional conflicts, the funds remained unutilized for 5 years.
After devastating floods of 2022, $150 million was redirected to aid flood victims instead. “Even after such a massive disaster, the flood warning system was never implemented. Now in 2025, after another major calamity, only $40 million has been allocated for upgrading the system. The government and bureaucracy must answer why such preventable loss of life occurred despite the availability of funds and resources,” Shami added.
He criticized inconsistencies in government policies on clean energy and the heavy tax burden on citizens, noting that public relief and welfare do not appear to be government priorities.
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