ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday directed federal and provincial authorities to strengthen coordination and accelerate preparedness measures ahead of the monsoon season, as officials warned of possible extreme weather, including above-normal rainfall and heatwaves in July.
Chairing a high-level meeting on monsoon preparedness and climate change-related environmental risks, the prime minister stressed the need for timely action to safeguard lives, property and critical infrastructure, according to an official statement.
Pakistan remains among the countries most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, the prime minister said, emphasizing that effective cooperation between the federal government and provincial administrations is essential to respond to climate-related challenges.
He directed the federal minister for climate change and the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) to undertake emergency visits this week to all provinces, as well as Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan, to review and finalize monsoon preparedness arrangements.
The prime minister also ordered the establishment of an Emergency Response Committee under the supervision of the federal minister for planning and development.
“The committee, comprising NDMA and relevant federal ministries, will work closely with provincial authorities and hold weekly meetings to monitor preparedness and response efforts,” the statement said.
To strengthen emergency response capacity, the prime minister instructed the finance minister to complete advance arrangements for an emergency fund to address potential losses caused by heavy rainfall and flooding during the monsoon season.
Highlighting the government's focus on water security, he noted that an additional **Rs330 billion** had been allocated in the current federal budget to accelerate water-related development projects.
“He also stressed that foreign-funded initiatives should contribute to strengthening the institutional capacity of national and local agencies,” the statement said.
The prime minister further directed provincial governments to remove encroachments from river channels and flood pathways in vulnerable districts and implement preventive measures under a coordinated national roadmap.
“He also instructed all relevant institutions to utilize their full administrative and technical capacity for public facilitation during the monsoon season,” the statement added.
During the meeting, the NDMA chairman briefed participants on national preparedness measures and warned of possible extreme weather during the coming weeks, including intense heatwaves and above-normal rainfall in July, while outlining contingency plans already being implemented across the country.
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