Current Affairs Perspective: Natural Disaster or Misjudgment - Monsoon 2025

Facts & Figures

The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) Punjab has issued its latest assessment of the devastation caused by the overflowing Ravi, Sutlej and Chenab rivers, outlining the scale of damage and the ongoing relief efforts. 

Relief Commissioner Nabeel Javed said more than 2,308 villages across Punjab had been inundated, affecting 1.516 million people. Of these, 481,000 had been evacuated to safer areas. The provincial administration has set up 511 relief camps providing food and shelter, along with 351 medical camps and 321 veterinary camps. Over 405,000 animals have also been moved to secure locations.

Hydrological data shows fluctuating flows in the rivers. The Chenab recorded discharges of 111,000 cusecs at Marala, 170,000 at Khanki, 171,000 at Qadirabad and 146,000 at Trimmu. In the Ravi, flows stood at 78,000 cusecs at Jassar, 138,000 at Shahdara—where levels are receding—and 199,000 at Balloki, where a rise is being observed. At Sidhnai, inflow measured 32,000 cusecs with an outflow of 18,000 cusecs. The Sutlej is facing one of the heaviest surges, recording 303,000 cusecs at Ganda Singh Wala and 138,000 at Sulemanki.

Ground Reality

The floods in Pakistan have caused so much damage. They have claimed so many lives, ruined the homes, and possessions. People’s life savings have drowned in the flood waters, and it is heart breaking. The images we see on social media are harrowing. What we can’t say is that this loss and destruction is unprecedented. Because it isn’t. 

Climate change has been a reality for a long time now, and rain can be predicted. There are floods almost every year, although on a smaller scale, which means that they are a reality we must be aware of. Our governments throughout the years have failed to build infrastructure that can withstand the consequences of torrential rains, and floodwater. Moreover, our governments have happily handed out NOCs for residential societies to be built in the riverbeds, which is detrimental for people’s wellbeing. 

Instead of taking responsibility for our grave mistakes, it is highly foolish of us to try to blame India for releasing water. We can agree that India often commits aggression on various fronts, but blaming them for the flood, is simply immature. We can not expect India to let the water flood their own cities, just to save Pakistan from floods, becausey not opening the spillways would mean exactly that of India. Moreover, why are we putting out lives in the hands of the enemy? Is that not absurd? 

Yes, the rains are God-given, but saying that it is out of our hands, is not true. Climate change is a reality, and if we don't do anything about it, it is inevitable. We need to be able to deal with the consequences by investing in adequate infrastructure, so we can minimize the loss.