Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif arrived in Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) on Monday and chaired a high-level meeting to review the flood damages from the recent monsoon rains and distribute relief funds to the affected people.
The devastating impacts of climate change became more visible in GB, which has been facing heavy rains since late June. Situation worsened when deadly floods swept across the Babusar area on July 21, causing landslides and damaging infrastructure. So far, 10 people, mostly tourists, have lost their lives, with between 10 and 15 tourists still missing.
Addressing a review meeting on the damages caused by the recent monsoon rains, PM Shehbaz termed the destruction caused by cloodbursts in Diamer and other areas as “unfortunate”. He prayed for those who lost their lives and for the speedy recovery of the injured.
He hailed the work of various federal authorities — including the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and the ministries of communication, water, GB, climate change, and international coordination — in assisting with the relief work.
“Pakistan’s contribution to global emissions is negligible, but despite this, it is among the top 10 countries that are facing destruction and losses due to global warming,” the premier noted.
Recalling the devastating 2022 floods, he said, “After that, each year such destruction comes in less or greater intensity.”
PM Shehbaz stressed that he had issued “clear” directives to Climate Change Minister Dr Musadik Malik and his team to work on the matter. He highlighted that Malik has attended various conferences on climate change and secured funds for resilient infrastructure in Pakistan.
Highlighting that the ministry had a key role in “mitigating the changes arising from climate change” across the country, the premier noted that the NDMA was originally established for relief, rescue and rehabilitation work once a disaster strikes.
He recalled that the communication secretary had spent six days in GB as he oversaw the restoration of roads damaged by the rains.
The prime minister vowed to visit GB once the monsoon rains end to lay the foundation stone of a Daanish School he had promised to the region. “We will also discuss other development projects with you and decide on them,” he assured the GB government.
Upon arrival at Gilgit Airport earlier today for the one-day visit, GB Governor Syed Mehdi Shah, Chief Minister Gulbar Khan and other officials welcomed the premier.
The visit comes after PM Shehbaz chaired a high-level meeting last week to review the monsoon damage, where he reaffirmed the federal government’s full support for relief and recovery efforts in GB and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK).
Climate Change Minister Dr Musadik Malik, Kashmir Affairs and GB Minister Amir Muqam, Communications Minister Abdul Aleem Khan, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, Inter-Provincial Coordination Minister Rana Sanaullah, and PM’s coordinator on GB Shabbir Ahmed Usmani are accompanying the premier.
“The prime minister will meet with the victims of rains and floods in Gilgit and distribute relief funds,” PTV said. He will also hold meetings with Governor Shah and CM Gulbar.
‘Federal govt cooperation akin to oxygen for GB’
In a statement on the occasion, GB government spokesperson Faizullah Faraq said, “The hopes of flood affectees are attached to the prime minister.
“GB has faced losses worth more than Rs20 billion due to the worst destruction caused by the floods,” Faraq highlighted.
As floods and landslides hit GB in late July, CM Gulbar had appealed to the federal government for Rs7bn in emergency funds to deal with climate-induced disasters.
“Cooperation from the federal government plays the role of oxygen for GB,” the official said, stressing that “homeless people with wrecked houses and eroding settlements were looking forward to remedies for their wounds”.
Terming PM Shehbaz’s visit a “good omen”, Faraq welcomed the premier to the region.
The devastating impacts of climate change have become more visible in GB as unprecedented heatwaves, erratic weather patterns and glacial melting have triggered cloudbursts and intense floods across the region.
Five members of a family trapped due to a flood four days ago in GB’s Ghizer District were rescued today, the region’s Rescue 1122 said.
Last week, more cloudburst-induced floods hit the Ghizer and Hunza districts.
On Friday, a glacier burst in GB’s Bagrot Valley led to the death of a 12-year-old boy, while his father was injured. The same day, Rescue 1122 officials said one person was rescued, while three other family members went missing after they had attempted to rescue a man who had jumped into the Ghizer River.
Glof alert issued for GB, KP ahead of likely rains
Meanwhile, the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) issued an alert for an increased risk of glacial lake outburst floods (Glofs), flash floods and landslides in vulnerable glaciated regions of GB and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The alert noted that a wet spell was likely to affect both regions in the current week as “scattered rain and thunderstorms, with isolated heavy falls”, were expected.
As per the PMD’s latest forecast, rain, wind and thundershowers, with isolated heavy falls, are expected to hit the northern parts of the country from today till Thursday.
At least 299 people, including 140 children, have died and more than 700 others have been injured in flash floods and torrential rains that have battered several parts of Pakistan since late June, according to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).