��������

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Meteorological Department (Met) told lawmakers on Wednesday it had warned authorities as early as May that the monsoon season would be “excessive” and trigger floods, raising fresh questions over why disaster management agencies failed to act as deluges have killed more than 1,000 people nationwide since late June.

According to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), heavy monsoon rains and water released from Indian dams have killed 1,002 people and injured 1,063 across Pakistan since June 26. 

Floods in Punjab province in late August left 112 people dead, affected over 4.5 million and forced 2.6 million to evacuate, prompting Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to declare an economic and agricultural emergency and call for improvements to the country’s flood early warning system.

Experts say that even in countries with advanced disaster management systems, early warnings are only as effective as the ability of authorities and communities to act on them.

Global research shows robust warning systems can cut flood-related deaths by as much as two-thirds, but require clear communication channels, evacuation planning, and public trust to work. In Pakistan’s case, analysts argue that warnings from the Met Department can save lives only if they are translated swiftly into local alerts, community preparedness and protective measures such as strengthening embankments or relocating vulnerable populations.

“In a meeting held on May 29 this year, we warned representatives of all the relevant departments of Pakistan like the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), the provincial department authority, irrigation and agriculture departments that monsoon will be excessive this year and will cause floods,” Sahibzada Khan, director-general of the Met Department, told the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Water Resources.

His statement shocked committee members, who said NDMA had not conveyed flood warnings to parliamentary forums until after devastation struck.

Shazia Marri, a legislator and committee member, said NDMA officials had dismissed the risk in earlier briefings:

“I have been told by my colleagues in two parliamentary committees that NDMA officials briefed them before floods. However, these officials told these committees that there was no threat of flood this year.”

Marri added parliamentarians were “caught off guard” when flooding hit their constituencies.

NDMA representatives did not attend Wednesday’s meeting.

An NDMA official, speaking to Arab News on condition of anonymity, said the authority had warned of heavy rains and floods in a report issued during the first week of June.

The Met Department said it had assessed the risks as early as April during a meeting of the South Asian Climate Outlook Forum (SASCOF), a regional body of 10 monsoon-affected countries.

“Our regional consensus statement was that there will be heavy rains in the catchment areas of Pakistani rivers, and this will result in floods in Pakistan,” Khan told the committee.

A SASCOF statement on April 30 confirmed “above normal rainfall is most likely during the 2025 southwest monsoon season (June–September) over most parts of South Asia.”

Ahmad Atteeq Anwer, chairman of the committee, said the parliamentary body would investigate why the Met Department’s warnings never translated into action on the ground.

Pakistan’s Federal Flood Commission Chairman Athar Hameed added that the country’s floodplain mapping and forecasting model, developed in 2017, needed urgent upgrades to account for new infrastructure. Updated floodplain maps, he said, were critical for planning, legislation and imposing restrictions on construction in high-risk zones.

Pakistan, which contributes only 1 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, is among the countries most severely affected by climate change. Catastrophic floods in 2022 killed 1,700 people, affected 33 million and caused over $30 billion in damage.

ISLAMABAD: The governments of Pakistan and Palestine on Wednesday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to expand bilateral cooperation in health through joint collaborations in advanced medical fields, training opportunities and research, Pakistani state media reported. 

Pakistan has extended help to the Palestinian people through medical scholarships and educational opportunities since Israel’s war on Gaza began in October 2023. Hundreds of Palestinian medical students arrived in Pakistan last year to pursue higher studies on scholarships in the country. 

The MoU between the two countries was signed by Pakistan’s Health Minister Syed Mustafa Kamal and the Palestinian ambassador in Islamabad, state-run Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) reported. 

“According to the Ministry of National Health Services, the MoU is designed to enhance collaboration in advanced medical fields, professional training, and joint research,” APP reported. 

“The move is expected to create long-term avenues for strengthening health care systems in both countries.”

Kamal announced that a Pakistan–Palestine Health Working Group will be established within the next 30 days. He added that this body will supervise the MoU’s implementation and ensure that the agreed initiatives are carried out effectively.

The Pakistani minister said that the cooperation will cover a broad spectrum of medical specialties, such as interventional cardiology, organ transplant, orthopedic surgery, endoscopic ultrasound, burn treatment and plastic surgery.

“Pakistan will also assist Palestine in strengthening expertise in infectious diseases, ophthalmology, pharmaceuticals, and collaborative medical research,” the report said. 

“Training opportunities for Palestinian health professionals at Pakistan’s premier medical institutions are part of the plan.”

Kamal said the purpose of this agreement is to foster closer collaboration for improving the health and well-being of the people of both countries. 

“The hearts of the people of Pakistan beat with Palestine, and we stand ready to assist our Palestinian brothers and sisters in every possible way,” he said. 

The Palestinian ambassador welcomed the initiative and thanked the Pakistani government, APP reported. He noted that Palestine highly values Pakistan’s support in political, humanitarian and medical spheres.

Pakistan has consistently criticized Israel for its military offensives in Gaza since October 2023, which have killed over 65,000 Palestinians. International aid organizations and global hunger monitors have raised concerns of starvation spreading in the Palestinian territory as Israel refuses to allow aid into Gaza.