KARACHI:
The recent flash floods in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and the urban flooding in Karachi have once again exposed the hollowness of our disaster management system. Each year, government officials assure the nation that preventive steps will be taken, yet when the rains arrive, the same tragedies repeat themselves. Citizens are left stranded, homes are destroyed and lives are lost, while leaders limit themselves to making statements of sympathy.
Karachi, despite being the country’s financial hub, lacks even a basic drainage system. A few hours of heavy rain is enough to paralyse the entire city. Similarly, in K-P, fragile embankments and unplanned construction along riverbanks turn heavy rainfall into deadly flash floods. Billions of rupees are spent in the name of relief, but the funds often vanish into corruption and inefficiency.
The bitter reality is that natural disasters may be unavoidable, but the scale of destruction is not. It is mismanagement, negligence and empty promises that drown citizens every year. Pakistan desperately needs a shift from reaction to prevention. Building flood-resistant infrastructure, relocating vulnerable communities and strengthening early warning systems are critical.
Furthermore, transparency in disaster funds and strict accountability of officials must be ensured. Citizens deserve more than token visits and press conferences — they deserve protection, planning and action. Unless our leadership takes genuine steps, the cycle of disaster and suffering will continue, and people will keep paying with their lives.
Abu Huraira
Multan
