The Pakistani government on Friday warned that climate-related risks during the ongoing monsoon season could endanger agricultural output and food security, as a newly formed high-level emergency committee directed authorities to prepare long-range projections and strengthen disaster response coordination.
Monsoon Casualties and Forecasts
Pakistan's annual monsoon, typically lasting from June to September, regularly triggers flash floods, landslides, and house collapses, especially in the mountainous north and low-lying river plains. Disaster management authorities reported on Friday that monsoon rains since June 26 have killed 17 people and injured 41. Forecasters warned that another spell of heavy rainfall next week could increase river flows across much of the country.
Emergency Response Committee Meeting
The government's Emergency Response Committee, meeting for the first time since its formation earlier this week, reviewed national monsoon preparedness and discussed broader climate-related risks extending beyond flooding. The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) stated after the meeting: “The committee noted that the poly crises emanating from Monsoon 2026 and beyond need to be crystalized to enable [a] national response for making arrangements.”
The NDMA added: “Shrinking glaciers and increasing droughts [and a] dry monsoon in most parts of Pakistan are likely to trigger [a] stress situation for [the] agriculture sector, leading to gross food security hazard.”
Long-Range Projections and Coordination
According to the statement, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal directed the Ministry of National Food Security and Research to work with the National Emergencies Operation Center (NEOC) on long-range projections through 2027. The committee also reviewed the national coordination framework for the monsoon season and approved the inclusion of the chief secretaries of all four provinces as co-opted members to strengthen federal-provincial coordination.
Pakistan's Climate Vulnerability
Pakistan is among the countries most vulnerable to climate change, despite contributing less than one percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. Record floods in 2022 killed more than 1,700 people, affected 33 million people, and caused over $30 billion in damage and economic losses, according to the government and the World Bank. Last year, the country experienced riverine floods after India released excess water into three rivers, devastating farmlands in Punjab province, Pakistan's breadbasket, and affecting large swathes of the wheat crop.
