Flood-damaged water channels restored in Balochistan

Restoration efforts promise a significant boost for agriculture, aiding 57,000 acres of farmland.

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Balochistan govt has restored water channels damaged in the 2022 floods to support the province's agricultural sector, a move officials say will benefit 57,000 acres of farmland and boost annual agricultural output by an estimated Rs1 billion.

Thousands of farmers in Balochistan are expected to see direct benefits from the restored channels, which will enhance irrigation and improve crop yields, Express News reported.

The restored infrastructure is part of broader efforts to promote sustainable development in the region, supporting Balochistan's path to economic progress through agricultural advancements.

Agricultural officials noted that the project not only aims to stabilise food security in Balochistan but also represents a milestone for economic growth by creating reliable water sources for local farming communities.

Last week, the Sindh People's Housing Foundation (SPHF) completed the construction of more than 300,000 houses, the world's largest housing project, while 810,000 houses are in various stages of completion.

Through this revolutionary project, houses will be constructed for more than 2.1 million families displaced in the 2022 floods in Sindh, all these houses are being built keeping in mind the challenges of climate change.

Earlier this year, Federal Minister for Planning, Development & Special Initiatives, Ahsan Iqbal, chaired the fourth meeting of the Policy and Strategy Committee (PSC) and the Oversight Board on Post-Flood Reconstruction Activities.

The meeting, held in Islamabad, reviewed the progress of ongoing projects under the Resilient, Rehabilitation, and Reconstruction Framework (4RF) and discussed the status of international financial pledges.

The session, organised by the Ministry of Planning, Development & Special Initiatives, was attended by senior officials, including the Secretary Planning, Secretary Economic Affairs, Chief Secretaries of all provinces, and international representatives from the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the United Nations (UN), and the European Union (EU).

Iqbal reflected on the unprecedented disaster that struck Pakistan between June and August 2022. He detailed how torrential rains, riverine floods, and urban flash floods submerged one-third of the country, affecting 33 million people and displacing nearly eight million.

The catastrophe claimed over 1,700 lives, with children making up one-third of the victims. The minister noted that more than half of the districts in Sindh, Balochistan, and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) were declared disaster-stricken. He also highlighted Pakistan's vulnerability to climate change, despite contributing less than 1% to global greenhouse gas emissions.

"The 2022 floods exposed Pakistan's extreme climate vulnerability," Iqbal said. "Yet, we rank among the top 10 countries most affected by climate change."

In response to the devastation, the Ministry of Planning developed the Resilient, Rehabilitation, and Reconstruction Framework (4RF). This strategic policy outlines four key objectives: enhancing governance and institutional capacity to restore lives and livelihoods, reviving economic opportunities, ensuring social inclusion, and rebuilding infrastructure in a resilient and sustainable manner.

The planning minister provided a sobering update on the financial toll of the disaster. He revealed that the 2022 floods resulted in a total economic loss of $30 billion for Pakistan. While the estimated cost of recovery is $16.2 billion, international pledges so far amount to $10.9 billion, leaving a substantial shortfall of $5.3 billion.

The Post-Disaster Needs Assessment (PDNA) estimated that the floods caused $14.9 billion in damages and $15.2 billion in economic losses. The assessment also highlighted the potential for increased food insecurity, projecting that the number of affected people could rise from seven million to 14.6 million. Additionally, over two million housing units were damaged, with 780,000 completely destroyed and more than 1.2 million partially damaged.