‘Floods Are ‘Man-Made Disasters,’ Says Senate Panel

Nadeem Tanoli

Islamabad: The Senate Standing Committee on Climate Change and Environmental Coordination has declared that Pakistan’s recurring flood crises are not natural disasters but avoidable tragedies rooted in poor governance, weak regulation, and climate inaction.

Chaired by Senator Sherry Rehman, the committee held a high-level meeting on Tuesday, focusing on recent urban and rural flooding incidents across the country.

Opening with a moment of silence for victims, Senator Rehman strongly criticized the habitual use of the term “qudrati afat” (natural disaster), saying it deflects attention from institutional failures and policy negligence.

“These floods are not acts of nature — they are failures of planning, enforcement, and responsibility,” she said.

Flood Incidents Highlight Human Negligence

The committee examined several recent cases to illustrate systemic dysfunction, including the flash flood in Islamabad’s Saidpur Village, where illegal construction over a natural drainage path caused devastating inundation and swept away vehicles.

In another tragic incident in DHA Islamabad, a father and daughter were carried off by floodwaters; their car was later recovered in pieces while the victims remained missing.

Senators also revisited the 2022 Swat floods, in which hotels illegally built on riverbanks were destroyed. Shockingly, new construction is underway at the same sites despite previous devastation, highlighting the failure to implement lessons learned. Similar concerns were raised for Gilgit-Baltistan and Chitral, where cloudbursts and flash floods continue to threaten locals and unsuspecting tourists.

F-8 Flyover, Encroachments Signal Broader Infrastructure Flaws

Senator Falak Naz pointed to the sinking of a newly constructed flyover in Islamabad’s F-8 sector after recent rainfall, calling it a glaring example of substandard infrastructure and poor quality control.

The committee identified a range of systemic failures contributing to the floods: unregulated urban sprawl, blocked drainage systems, encroachments on waterways, and non-compliance with land-use planning.

Members recalled that in January, the committee had directed the Capital Development Authority (CDA) to clean all Islamabad drains within 60 days an order that was ignored.

CDA, Provincial Bodies Face Accountability

The committee strongly criticized the CDA, provincial departments, and local governments for their inaction, announcing plans to summon responsible officials from the CDA and the Punjab Government for detailed explanations. “Warnings have been issued repeatedly, yet enforcement is nonexistent. This is administrative negligence, plain and simple,” Senator Rehman asserted.

Tourism Management Also Under Scrutiny

Tourist safety in vulnerable areas came under fire as well. The committee noted that relying solely on weather warnings is inadequate. It urged local governments to implement temporary closures and travel restrictions in flood-prone zones during severe weather, especially to protect tourists unfamiliar with the risks.

To address the crisis, the committee put forward a comprehensive set of recommendations:

Summon CDA and Punjab officials for accountability hearings.

Enforce a complete ban on construction near natural drains and flood zones.

Ensure year-round cleaning and maintenance of all drainage systems.

Conduct a national audit of flood-prone infrastructure and settlements.

Improve climate resilience in urban planning through strict regulation.

The committee emphasized that Pakistan cannot afford to normalize disaster through administrative passivity. “We need to stop calling these natural disasters — they are man-made disasters that we are choosing not to prevent,” Senator Rehman concluded.