Metaphorically, clouds appearing in the sky during monsoon season are synonymous with joy. But in many parts of Pakistan, they are now linked with death, destruction, displacement, and disillusionment, evoking a sense of déjà vu.
While climate refugees have not yet recovered from the damages caused by epic rains and subsequent super flash floods of 2022, this year’s heavy spell fueled by the monsoon has lashed out across the country, leaving the vulnerable at the mercy of the heavens.
A burnt child dreads the fire best describes the psychological burden and eco-anxiety of climate refugees and those bearing the brunt of torrential rains, particularly in Sindh and generally across the country.
One of the climate victims of 2022, Saima Khatoon, a resident of Taulka Bakrani, in District Larkana, is a widow who lost her house in the rains of biblical proportions — is still waiting for rehabilitation, which is in progress but disproportionate to the needs of those permanently displaced.
The mother of five children is now living with her father. “Clouds appearing on the horizon this time around are synonymous with death and destruction,” she said, her lingering fears fomented by climate change-induced abnormal rains, adding to her existing trauma.
Qasim, another paddy grower from Taluka Dokri, in District Larkana, said rains in 2022 had drowned his paddy crop as he indicated to parched tracts of cultivated land with his index finger. He complained that this year, his newly-planted crop is yearning for water. The water level in the Dadu Canal, which feeds agricultural lands in Bakrani Taluka, is very low. The irrigation department, fearing rain-induced breaches of dykes, has not released water, thereby endangering the nascent paddy crop.
He lamented that either excessive rains or the precautionary measures being taken, without realising the negative impact on agriculture, are taking a heavy toll on people growing crops. The farmer said with tearful eyes “This crop is the source of survival- this very source is being threatened by natural calamities.”
Make no mistake that the nations in the Global North are responsible for the greenhouse gas emissions culminating in climate-related catastrophes. The Global South lacks the resources and technology to adopt renewable energy
Measuring the magnitude of monsoon and related destruction in Union Council Fatehabad, Taluka Golarchi, District Badin, around 200 houses were submerged in rainwater and their roofs caved in. According to the survivors, their livestock perished due to a lack of fodder, clean drinking water and waterborne diseases. This highlights the horrible situation that climate refugees are coping with. Livestock and crops are major sources of livelihood for the farming community and erratic weather impacts crop output, sometimes, the seeding season is disturbed due to unexpected heatwaves. Loss of livelihoods and livestock poses an existential threat to people's survival in rural Pakistan.
Global climate financing commitment faltering
Make no mistake that the nations in the Global North are responsible for the greenhouse gas emissions culminating in climate-related catastrophes. The Global South lacks the resources and technology to adopt renewable energy.
Despite this, the Global North has refused to act upon its commitment to provide $100 billion annually to help developing countries mitigate the climate crises. In November, Azerbaijan will host the UN Climate Conference(COP29), where climate financing will be high on the agenda.
According to World Bank estimates, up to 132 million people will be pushed into extreme poverty by 2030. The drivers of poverty in South Asia will primarily be food prices, health shocks, and natural disasters with the worsening impact of cyclones, floods, and other extreme climate events.
As per the World Risk Index 2024 report, published by Germany’s Ruhr University Bochum-Institute for International Law of Peace and Armed Conflict (IFHV), Pakistan is among the countries with the highest exposure to conflict and is also among the 15 countries with the highest disaster risk.
Despite having one of the lowest carbon footprints globally, Pakistan ranks among the top ten nations most at risk from extreme weather events. According to UNESCAP estimates, climate change could cost Pakistan over 9% of its GDP annually.
Danger to Pakistan’s lifeline
Agriculture is the backbone of the country sustaining its body politic. Pakistan experienced the wettest April this year, negatively impacting the wheat crop. As a result, the wheat crop declined in the provinces of Punjab and Sindh by 60%. Also, due to the ongoing monsoon spell in the country, paddy crop cultivation was on hold in various districts of Sindh for considerable days.
The damages to standing crops in Sindh caused by the recent spell of monsoon, as shared by Sindh Agriculture Minister Sardar Muhammad Bakhsh Mehr, have resulted in significant losses to farmers, totaling Rs86.86 billion. “Crops on 541,351 acres of land have been destroyed; with the cotton crop on 293,580 acres suffering considerable damage. The standing rice crop on 35,271 acres has been destroyed, while 269,016 acres have experienced partial damage. Additionally, 53,195 acres of date palm groves are fully damaged, and 32,849 acres have seen partial damage. The damage extends to sugarcane, with 26,382 acres destroyed and 69,689 acres partially affected.”
Besides, the commercialisation of farmland continues unabated in our country. Instances such as climate catastrophes and the commercialisation of agricultural land have all the hallmarks of food insecurity in this country
He further added that the unusual rainfall has led to a 21% loss in cotton crops and a 41% loss in dates. Other affected crops include tomatoes 3.4%, sesame 22%, onions 58%, chilies 12%, and vegetables 18%. These districts including Badin, Dadu, Ghotki, Sukkur, Hyderabad, Larkana, Sanghar, Thatta, Sujawal, Mirpurkhas, Khairpur, Umerkot, Tando Allahyar, Shikarpur, Nawabshah, Matiari, Tando Muhammad Khan, and Tharparkar are affected by the rainfall damage.
The minister is said to have instructed officials of the agriculture department to implement immediate measures to protect and salvage the partially damaged crops, aiming to mitigate further losses. However, such official instructions fall on deaf ears because who cares for the farmers?
Besides, the commercialisation of farmland continues unabated in our country. Instances such as climate catastrophes and the commercialisation of agricultural land have all the hallmarks of food insecurity in this country. This will eventually increase Pakistan's import bill, consequently straining the national economy, already teetering on multiple crises.
Declining agricultural activity will render seasonal workers, engaged in activities like cotton picking and harvesting crops, jobless. Pakistan Kissan Ittehad Chairman Khalid Khokhar has urged the government to declare an agriculture emergency in the country to address the agriculture sector’s mounting challenges and uplift the living standards of the farming community.
Recently, speaking at a press conference, Khokhar highlighted the rising cost of production, low crop prices, and the adverse impacts of climate change as key threats facing farmers. He conveyed his concerns over declining cotton production, a vital cash crop for Pakistan. He warned that this drop would inevitably affect the textile industry. "Agriculture is the backbone of our economy," he said, fearing that the upcoming wheat season could also experience a slump in yield.
Khokhar criticised political leaders for failing to give the sector the attention it needs. He proposed a national dialogue on agriculture, inviting stakeholders from across the political spectrum to engage in discussions aimed at resolving the sector's pressing issues. He drew the government’s attention towards resolving the Rs20 billion in unpaid dues owed by sugar mills.
To move forward, the Khokhar proposed a national dialogue on agriculture, inviting stakeholders from across the political spectrum to engage in discussions aimed at resolving the sector's pressing issues. Khokhar warned that if left unaddressed, the agriculture sector could face negative growth in the coming year, contrasting this with the 6.5% growth achieved last year.
Climate-induced psychological baggage on children
According to Save the Children, floods and heavy rains have killed more than 150 children in Pakistan since the start of the monsoon season. Over 200 children have been injured in incidents caused by rain or floods, which have forced thousands of people from their homes. In the Sanghar district in Sindh province, nearly 10,000 people have been displaced after a canal overflowed. About 2,600 are now living in a relief camp in a school – 60% of them are children – with others living in the open next to their destroyed or damaged homes.
Governments must tackle the underlying causes of these climate-driven disasters, including changing funding and support to children and their families in Pakistan to adapt, recover, and rebuild their lives
A Save the Children assessment of Sanghar found a severe shortage of clean water, with many sources contaminated by human and animal excrement. Some villages in Sanghar are still cut off by snake-infested floodwaters and only accessible by boat.
As per the organisation's survey, more than nine out of ten people surveyed conveyed their concerns regarding looming mosquito-transmitted diseases, such as malaria and dengue, with 75% worried about waterborne diseases, like diarrhea.
Three-quarters of people assessed said they were selling household assets to buy food. The rains and floods have destroyed 80% of cotton crops in Sanghar, the primary source of income for farmers, and killed hundreds of livestock.
Girls in Sanghar have spoken about how personal safety and security were their top concerns in the aftermath of the floods, with some worried about a potential increase in gender-based violence.
Khuram Gondal, the country director of Save the Children in Pakistan, said: "Children are always the most affected in a disaster. Families have yet again lost homes and livelihoods—some of the same areas that were hit by devastating floods just ten years ago, are underwater again. Children need urgent assistance—they need clean water, protection from mosquito-borne diseases, and safe spaces where they can play and learn. We need to ensure that the immediate impacts of the floods and heavy rains do not become long-term problems.
In Sindh alone, more than 72,000 children have seen their education disrupted. Governments must tackle the underlying causes of these climate-driven disasters, including changing funding and support to children and their families in Pakistan to adapt, recover, and rebuild their lives."
According to the assessment by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Pakistan, the recent monsoon killed 341 people, leaving 613 injured across the country.
Additionally, 22,619 houses were fully damaged, and 4,113 were partially damaged. The disaster also resulted in the loss of 1,323 livestock, the collapse of 40 bridges, and the washing away of 120 kilometers of road. As per OCHA Pakistan, as many as 1895 schools –the learning centers (TLCs) and, National Foundation Schools (NFSs) –a project of HHS, were damaged, and that consequently affected the education of around 276,036.
Our ruling elites, when nature unleashes its fury like the hyperactive monsoon, wake up from their deep slumber and start beating their chests to capture international attention and sympathy, ensuring international support in the form of goods delivery and financial assistance
Various surveys about the psychological suffering faced by climate refugees, particularly children, conducted after the floods in 2010 and 2022, suggested that children suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), deprivation, disrupted education, and more. The surveys also highlighted a lingering fear of abuse in overcrowded camps.
Commenting on the disaster-driven consequences on children, Carolyn Kousky writes: "Children’s physiology makes them more vulnerable than adults to certain health impacts. For example, children breathe more air per pound of body weight than adults do, and their bodies contain less fluid, making them more susceptible to dehydration. They can also be at a point in their development where health problems today can have long-term consequences. They may have greater trouble processing emotional trauma. For all these reasons, a natural disaster may affect a child quite differently from the way it affects an adult. Indeed, it may affect children quite differently depending on their ages."
Lack of political will
In developed democracies, robust institutional intervention, such as giving early warnings to the population and rescuing them to safer avenues, ensures that natural disaster-related problems become short-term.
In contrast, such catastrophes become long-term problems for Pakistanis due to political apathy and indifference to the wider sections of society bearing the brunt of torrential downpours during monsoon. Let us not forget that climate victims already live in underdeveloped areas lacking basic infrastructural development, such as functional drainage systems and floodwater disposal mechanisms.
Although political elites governing this state witnessed a "monsoon on steroids" in 2022, those at the helm of the country's affairs have failed to grasp the gravity of natural calamities, which unleash displacement, death, and destruction upon the population living in ecologically vulnerable areas.
The established practice prioritised by pro-people political spectrums worldwide is to learn lessons from previous disasters and subsequently develop foolproof measures for rescue operations, relief goods delivery, and timely rehabilitation of victims hit by natural calamities.
In contrast, our ruling elites, when nature unleashes its fury like the hyperactive monsoon, wake up from their deep slumber and start beating their chests to capture international attention and sympathy, ensuring international support in the form of goods delivery and financial assistance.
In the aftermath of the monsoon that lashed across the country, various videos of climate victims went viral on social media, in which those displaced could be heard complaining about receiving no rescue operation or relief from the state institutions entrusted with the task of providing it. A lack of political will, accompanied by bad governance, exacerbated the cruelty of climate change. On the heels of every natural disaster in question, we hear harrowing tales chorused by climate refugees about inadequate measures taken by governments in terms of timely evacuating people and facilitating and feeding them in camps.
We have historically relied on bureaucracy calling them the backbone of the administration. But history shows that this backbone has been paralysed because of multiple factors - political influence, nepotism, and cronyism
Thus, it suggests that our governments lack resources and the will to help those in need. We see climate refugees accommodated primarily in public schools, known for lacking basic infrastructure like boundary walls, hygienic toilets, clean drinking water, and more.
Such accommodation compounds problems for displaced people on one hand, while on the other, children see their education disrupted. Changing weather patterns are unleashing unimaginable troubles globally, particularly in Pakistan. Ecological change has left the already vulnerable in a pitiable situation. The powerful and ruling elites live in insulated structures, detached from the realities of climate change.
However, those at the helm of the country's affairs need to realise that such catastrophes do slow down the economy, which is already fragile. Institutional incompetence will further drain the national wealth while conducting so-called rescue and relief operations for those trapped in climate cruelty. The hunger and homelessness caused by climate change will drive climate-driven refugees to urban centers in search of livelihoods. Thus, demographic changes loom large due to ever-changing weather patterns.
Pakistan cannot afford to turn a blind eye to the climate call. Under such catastrophic conditions, one measure has proven to be handy in creating public awareness on coping with climate-induced emergencies and subsequent relief for victims is an empowered grassroots democracy, and local governments, with due training and funding to do the job.
We have historically relied on the bureaucracy, calling them the backbone of the administration. But history shows that this backbone has been paralysed because of multiple factors - political influence, nepotism, and cronyism.
Hence, entrusting the task of coping with climate-induced emergencies to bureaucracy, or inducting politicians as focal persons, won't help. The former is not only ill-informed about ground realities but also unwilling to come out of their comfort zone and air-conditioned halls to grasp the gravity of the situation. The latter is wholly reliant on bureaucratic feedback given in luxury halls or sometimes just roaming around in the company of the same to give the impression that something is being done.
At the end of the day, we hear those appointed focal persons regurgitating the same facts and figures that were fed to them by the bureaucrats. Make no mistake, the civil bureaucracy was accused by the climate victims of being indifferent to their urgent needs and assistance in the aftermath of the devastating floods in 2022. Rot in bureaucracy is the root cause of persistent problems faced by the population.
Sustainable solutions
Pakistan cannot stop clouds laden with climate change, but it can help its citizens, the climate refugees, in terms of teaching resilience strategies and rebuilding their lives.
To achieve this lofty goal, the following strategy could be executed to mitigate damages fuelled by natural disasters:
- Enhance Climate Resilience: Invest in climate-resilient infrastructure, agriculture, and water management practices to reduce vulnerability to extreme weather events.
- Disaster Risk Reduction: Develop and implement effective disaster risk reduction strategies, including early warning systems, evacuation plans, and emergency preparedness measures.
- Climate-Smart Agriculture: Promote climate-resilient agricultural practices, such as drought-tolerant crops, agroforestry, and conservation agriculture, to enhance food security.
- Water Conservation: Implement water-saving measures, such as efficient irrigation systems and water harvesting, to reduce water scarcity.
- Ecosystem Restoration: Restore and preserve natural ecosystems like forests, wetlands, and mangroves, which provide natural buffers against extreme weather events.
- Climate Education and Awareness: Educate citizens, especially in climate-vulnerable areas, on climate change impacts, adaptation strategies, and disaster risk reduction measures.
- Institutional Capacity Building: Strengthen institutions responsible for climate change adaptation, disaster management, and environmental conservation.
- International Cooperation: Collaborate with international organisations and neighboring countries to share knowledge, expertise, and resources in addressing climate change challenges.
- Climate-Resilient Urban Planning: Develop and implement climate-resilient urban planning strategies, including flood-resistant construction and green infrastructure.
- Research and Development: Support research and development in climate change adaptation, mitigation, and disaster risk reduction to inform policy and decision-making.
By implementing these measures, Pakistan can reduce its vulnerability to climate-induced disasters and promote sustainable development.