As the monsoon unleashed its full fury across Pakistan, leaving a trail of flooded streets and devastated communities, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif sounded a clarion call during this week’s federal cabinet meeting: no more “catastrophic beauty.”
Turning Nature’s Wrath into Human Responsibility
From August 15, relentless rains ravaged Khyber Pakhtunkhwa—home to scenic valleys like Swat, Buner, Shangla, and Mansehra—prompting a provincial emergency. The toll? Homes washed away, families displaced, and at least 393 lives lost by mid-August.
Now, with the death toll surpassing 700 nationwide, including over 400 in KP, Shehbaz isn’t taking it as just another sad footnote in Pakistan’s climate story.
“Catastrophic Beauty”: When Riverfront Resorts Turn Risky
Hotels, restaurants, and even residences have sprouted along riverbanks and waterways—places that should never be built on. Reflecting on the damage, Shehbaz called these constructions “catastrophic beauty” and made his stance clear: “There is no room for man-made disasters.”
To address this, he announced a nationwide meeting—a high-level summit, if you will—bringing all provinces to the table to tackle this environmental hazard.
Relief, Rescue, and Reality Checks
- Relief efforts are in full swing. The federal government has thrown open its support, coordinating closely with provincial teams for relief and rehab.
- Hats off to the Armed Forces, who used helicopters and brute logistical muscle to reach remote areas and save lives.
- Shehbaz himself paid visits to the worst-hit zones in KP, Gilgit-Baltistan, and Azad Jammu & Kashmir, promising that “this is a collective responsibility.”
- He also called out climate reality: industries must step up, and the Ministry of Climate Change must ramp up its efforts.
Digging Deeper: Why This Matters
Pakistan often gets elbowed to the wall in climate discussions: low emissions, high vulnerability. This crisis underscores that message all over again.
But reckless development—paving riverbeds, sweeping tree-cutting in sensitive zones like Galiyat—turns a natural calamity into a self-inflicted wound. PM Shehbaz is drawing a line in the sand, demanding accountability and centralized strategy.
Bottom Line
A devastating monsoon is now a policy moment. PM Shehbaz’s message? Stop building perilously, build responsibly, and face climate change head-on—including the messes we’ve made ourselves. He’s not only promising to convene a meeting—he’s demanding collective action.
