Web Desk; Pakistan is once again grappling with severe floods, continuing a decades-long cycle of natural disasters that repeatedly devastates the countryās vulnerable population. From Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to Punjab, Balochistan, and Sindh, these calamities bring widespread loss of life and property, while the ruling elite and bureaucracy often benefit politically and financially from relief efforts.
Experts point to the lack of proactive planning, including effective early-warning systems, water reservoir management, protection of natural water channels, and enforcement of building regulations, as key reasons behind the recurring destruction. Encroachments on riverbanks, deforestation, and construction of hotels and housing societies in flood-prone areas exacerbate the impact.
Historically, the government has relied on global aid and media coverage to respond to disasters rather than investing in preventive infrastructure. After the 2005 earthquake in Balakot, for instance, former military ruler Pervez Musharraf organized a donorsā conference where international donors and institutions, including the World Bank, pledged around $6ā7 billion to rebuild affected areas. The so-called āNew Balakotā project, intended to reconstruct the devastated region, remains largely unfulfilled two decades later, while some politicians and bureaucrats acquired personal wealth during the process.
The 1990s Punjab floods and the 2022 Sindh floods provide similar examples, showing that officials often prioritize new projects, vehicles, and overseas trips over long-term disaster mitigation. Supreme Court cases related to Balakot and other disaster management issues have highlighted systemic failures, yet many promised relief and reconstruction projects remain incomplete.
Global pledges of aid for disaster reliefāwhether after earthquakes or floodsāhave repeatedly been delayed or mismanaged, leaving affected communities without meaningful support. While officials use media coverage to showcase relief distribution and gain political mileage, the majority of the population continues to suffer.
Pakistanās cycle of devastation underlines the urgent need for effective disaster management, robust planning, and accountability. Without systematic reforms, the nation remains exposed to repeated losses from floods, earthquakes, and other natural disasters, while external aid continues to benefit a few rather than the public at large.
The 2005 earthquake struck on a Saturday, a day when the stock market remains closed. By Sunday evening, the scale of devastation had become clear: tens of thousands of lives lost, entire villages wiped out, and roads and bridges destroyed. On Monday morning, when I resumed work, I discovered that in the Karachi Stock Market, the demand for cement stocks had suddenly surged.
Shares of companies like Lucky Cement and DG Khan Cement were being bought in unusually high volumes. Upon inquiry, it turned out that investors saw this national tragedy as an opportunity for profit, believing that the massive destruction would lead to skyrocketing demand for cement and steel, with the government itself becoming a major buyer. In other words, while thousands had perished in the earthquake, others were quick to arrange their profits.
Similarly, in 2020, when the entire country was facing a severe shortage of wheat flour and ordinary citizens were forced to stand in miles-long queues to buy a single bag, I was invited by a friend to dine at the Islamabad Club. This club, established by the ruling elite on 360 acres of government land, has long been a hub of luxury. There, I witnessed at least 150 people lined up in the back lawn, waiting to fill their plates with fresh barbecue, halwa puri, and a wide variety of delicacies. Multiple types of bread and naan were being served in abundance, but half-eaten plates were casually discarded. All this food was available at heavily subsidized rates, while at the same time, the common people of Pakistan were struggling desperately to buy flour for their families.
