ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is increasingly vulnerable to climate change and is likely to rank among the 15 most water-stressed countries in the world this year, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) warned.
Members of the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Climate Change visited the NDMA headquarters on Thursday, where they received a detailed briefing on the country’s climate-related risks, early warning systems, glacial melt, and the forecast for upcoming monsoon rains.
Chairman NDMA, Lieutenant General Inam Haider Malik, informed the committee members that above-normal rainfall is expected during this year’s monsoon season, particularly in parts of Sindh, southern Punjab, and Balochistan.
During the briefing, the NDMA chief highlighted the risk of potential flooding caused by glacial melting. He added that the disaster management authority is closely monitoring glaciers through the Global Glacier Monitoring Portal.
The Chairman NDMA also emphasised that the authority is equipped with a modern control room, drones, and emergency response capabilities.
Pakistan’s water resources have been burdened by climate change, as the country faces rising temperatures, droughts, and melting glaciers and superfloods that are impacting the timing of water flow.
Climate change is making things worse. Today, Pakistan is considered one of the most water-stressed countries in the world. And last winter was one of the driest in the country’s history, with the Pakistan Meteorological Department reporting 67 percent less rainfall than usual.
According to the Germanwatch 2025 Climate Risk Index, Pakistan ranked as the most vulnerable country to the impacts of climate change in 2022, as it faced one of the costliest disasters in world history caused by the flooding, putting much of the country’s agricultural land at risk and impacting drinking water.
According to the Economic Survey 2024-25, the country is transitioning from water-stressed to water-scarce status.
The survey says that notable fluctuations in rainfall patterns across Pakistan have been observed during 2024-25. Monsoon rainfall (July-September 2024) was significantly above average at 212.1 mm, reflecting a 50.6 percent excess over the long-run average.
In contrast, post-monsoon (October-December 2024) and winter rainfall (January-March 2025) experienced substantial deficits of 44.9 percent and 39.9 percent, respectively.
Water is a critical natural resource for Pakistan, especially given its population of over 240 million. Meeting the growing demand for water, ensuring its availability, effective management and sustainability pose significant challenges for the government.
