KARACHI:
I am writing out of growing frustration with the same headlines that appear every monsoon season, as though these tragedies are simply the result of bad luck and nothing more.
This year alone, at least 110 people have lost their lives and many more have been injured across Pakistan since the monsoon began in late June. In Punjab, many people died and were injured—not simply because it rained, but because roofs collapsed and exposed electrical wires were left where people could encounter them. That is not just the result of heavy rainfall; it reflects a failure to maintain safe infrastructure and take preventive action. Families should not have to fear that their homes will collapse, nor should anyone lose their life because basic safety measures were ignored.
What is even more concerning is that August and September are expected to bring even heavier rainfall. We already know which areas flood repeatedly, and warnings are issued well in advance. Yet every year, meaningful action seems to come only after lives have been lost.
The solutions are neither unrealistic nor complicated. Authorities should inspect buildings in vulnerable areas, repair exposed electrical infrastructure, improve drainage systems and act timely on the warnings issued by the National Disaster Management Authority. Preventing these tragedies requires preparation, not just emergency response.
These disasters are preventable failures rather than unavoidable consequences of nature. The relevant authorities should relaise that lives lost each monsoon deserve action rather than mere sympathy.
Hashim Irfan
Sargodha
