The arrival of the monsoon season in Pakistan, coupled with the melting of glaciers, has resulted in a more than 40 percent increase in water levels in reservoirs, raising serious concerns about potential major floods.
The flood of 2022 had already severely damaged the country's infrastructure, emphasizing the need for a comprehensive flood protection plan.
It seems there is a contradiction among federal institutions on how to deal with the floods.
The required plan needs Rs800 billion funds, which are currently unavailable.
Despite coordination among federal and provincial authorities, departments, and institutions, the Federal Flood Commission admits that there has been no success in fully implementing the plan yet.
Kazim Rahim, Manager of Operations at NDMA, stated that preparations began in March with the development of an updated National Disaster Response Plan, which includes guidance at both provincial and district levels.
Federal Flood Commission Chairman Ahmed Kamal highlighted the lack of effective standard operating procedures and coordination among provincial irrigation departments and other institutions.
Minister of Water Resources Mossadegh Malik remains hopeful, suggesting that efforts will be made to allocate maximum funds in the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP), with contributions from both federal and provincial governments.
Despite these efforts, there is a lack of modern devices, including an early warning system, in small rivers, raising concerns about the effectiveness of the current measures against potential floods.
