Like other areas of Pakistan, Chitral could not escape from the devastating impact of climate change. In 2015, global warming and climate change made the first move to affect Chitral. Before 2015, I had not witnessed the devastation of a flood; however, my grandmother used to recount the havoc of the deluge in a former time. For the first time, in 2015, I witnessed the disaster of water flowing from the stream in my village.
Since 2015, the nonstop demolition caused by torrents has continued in Chitral. Recent inundation in the river swept away the Mastuj road causing upper Chitral to remain cut off from lower Chitral for four days.
Many villages are under the implacable erosion and much damage had already taken place in the agricultural lands located in different places of upper and lower Chitral.
Overflowing water had already swept away bridges in three different places and completely demolished the infrastructure. Because of the blockade of the road, people who are employed in Chitral town couldn't travel and access to homes and offices was restricted. Many remained besieged in their home until the road reopened.
The environment was also damaged as platans that were four hundred years old located in the yard of the royal fort, were swept away.
Koghuzi stream was the unruffled and untroubled rivulet, it has been flowing peacefully for a long time but how long could it bear the effects of climate change? When the temperature of the world augmented year by year, it swelled to the point where it overflowed. Finally, this week with all of its anger descended and swept away all the things which were in its way.
Some agricultural lands were temporarily damaged, irrigation canals were taken away and drinking water pipelines were swept away. Economic damage was also an issue as the locals had set up small businesses and shops which were also damaged and washed away by the floodwater.
Here, it is important to acknowledge the assistance of NGOs to provide relief for the people of the affected area.
The geography of Chitral is altering with the passing years, due to the erosion caused by the river. Every year villages battle the ruthless waves of the river only to be eroded by the river. If one year you see a house near the river, the next year it simply will not be there.
Pakistan has gravely asked the world to deal with climate change. In 2014, the first initiative was first launched by the Khyber PakhtunKhwa government to fight climate change which in this initiative remained so successful and restored 350,000 hectares of forest and barren land, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). In 2018, the former Prime Minister of Pakistan, Imran Khan, launched a billion-tree tsunami project all over Pakistan to cope with the detrimental impact of climate change and global warming.
The world will have to work in collaboration to deal with climate change. The world needs to work to curtail greenhouse gases and lessens the emission of carbon dioxide. The world should organize conferences on the topic of climate change daily. Media coverage regarding climate change on TV and different social media platforms can make people aware of global warming to encourage them to work together to curtail the greenhouse gases and emissions of carbon dioxide.