• PM forms committee to formulate post-flood strategy, seeks roadmap to tackle climate change • Apex moot of all CMs soon; climate minister asked to submit report in 15 days
• Minister admits failure to protect forestland, prevent encroachments on waterways
• Cabinet lifts ban on new gas connections
ISLAMABAD: The federal government imposed a climate and agriculture emergency on Wednesday in the wake of floods that devastated dozens of districts across the country, particularly in Punjab, giving rise to fears of food inflation.
The decision was made during a meeting of the federal cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. The cabinet also announced the formation of a special committee led by Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal to recommend measures to mitigate the impacts of the deluge on the economy. The terms of reference (TORs) of the special committee will be devised soon, the source added.
In a post-meeting press conference, Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry, flanked by Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik, said the PM had directed the immediate enforcement of a climate emergency.
Climate change, one of the most debated subjects globally, has been severely affecting Pakistan due to the shifting weather patterns, the minister said.
“Unfortunately, in past decades, we failed to protect our forests and trees, while encroachments narrowed natural waterways — rivers, streams, and channels that once allowed easy passage of rainwater. This has worsened the flooding situation we see today,” he said.
He said the climate minister, Musadik Malik, had been tasked with submitting a comprehensive report to the prime minister within 15 days. The cabinet would then deliberate on the report to determine how Pakistan could cope with climate change and prepare effective strategies to protect the nation from such devastating losses in the future.
“Since 2022, we have witnessed the devastation caused by floods in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan, and Punjab. Now, this water is flowing into Sindh from the five-river basin, and our prayers and efforts are focused on minimising the losses there as well,” the minister added.
He said the cabinet discussed the destruction, particularly to agriculture, along with human and financial losses, in detail. An agriculture emergency will help assess the extent of damage to agriculture across the country and determine how farmers could be compensated for their losses, he said, adding that these challenges could not be addressed without the cooperation, support, and consultation of the provincial governments.
“Therefore, the prime minister has decided to convene an immediate meeting of all provincial stakeholders under the leadership of their respective chief ministers. This country belongs to all of us, and together we must overcome its challenges,” he said, adding that stakeholders from Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Kashmir would also participate.
Earlier, PM Shehbaz stressed the need for formulating a comprehensive roadmap and strategy to overcome the challenges posed by climate change.
“We cannot deal with climate change overnight,” he said while chairing the cabinet meeting, adding that Pakistan could not tackle the challenge alone and that everyone had to come together for this task, a statement by the PM’s Office quoted the premier as saying. He said an apex-level meeting would follow the cabinet meeting, to be attended by the four chief ministers, to formulate a policy to cope with the current situation.
It may be noted that the monsoon floods affected 4.2 million people, 1.58m animals, and more than 4,400 villages across Punjab, as per a report by the Punjab Provincial Disaster Management Authority. Besides Punjab, Gilgit-Baltistan also bore the brunt of flash and glacial floods, wiping out houses and agricultural land.
Ban on gas connections lifted
The cabinet also decided to lift a four-year-long ban on domestic gas connections and supply regasified liquefied natural gas (RLNG).
Dr Chaudhry said PM Shehbaz decided to lift the ban on new gas connections imposed in 2021, addressing a longstanding public demand. He expressed gratitude to the PM and the petroleum minister for resolving a major issue that households had been facing for years. “The difficulties caused by the suspension of gas connections will now be resolved,” he added.
Speaking on the occasion, Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik said the two state-run gas companies, SNGPL and SSGCL, had been asked to seek applications for new gas connections from consumers. The petroleum minister said RLNG would be 30-35 per cent cheaper than the imported Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), adding that consumers, who had already applied for the gas connections, would have the option to switch their connections to RLNG. They would deposit their security fee as per the decision of the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority, he added.
Mr Malik assured that efforts were underway to enhance local gas production to reduce dependency on RLNG in the future and ensure more affordable energy for the public.
The cabinet also approved the trilateral intergovernmental framework agreement for a joint feasibility study between Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, and Pakistan, based on the recommendation of the railways ministry.
The agreement, signed last month, is considered a key project for regional trade and connectivity. The cabinet also endorsed decisions made by the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet, the Cabinet Committee on Inter-Governmental Commercial Transactions, and the Cabinet Committee for Legislative Cases.
Published in Dawn, September 11th, 2025