After devastating the northern areas, the floodwaters have now surged into the plains of Punjab. Every passing minute brings rising levels, displacing entire villages and communities, and plunging the province into uncertainty. Lives will be lost, infrastructure damaged, and perhaps most devastating of all, Punjab’s farmlands—the heart of the province’s economy—face ruin. Millions stand to lose harvests, with ripple effects on both the economy and food security.
While the government and rescue authorities are working tirelessly to protect people, much of the destruction is unavoidable. Yet as this crisis unfolds, Pakistan must confront a sobering truth: floods are no longer rare disasters but annual realities. Every year, billions are lost, and every year the country remains unprepared. The solutions are not complex, but they demand political will and long-term vision. First, Pakistan must invest heavily in dams and barrages across its rivers. Political wrangling must give way to consensus, and funds—whether domestic or international—must be secured to build the infrastructure needed to control water flow.
Second, illegal construction on spillways and overflow zones must be halted immediately. Real estate developers and housing societies that encroach on these natural drainage paths put not only their own residents at risk but entire regions downstream. These lands were left empty for a reason: they are meant to channel floodwaters. Blocking them ensures disaster for everyone.
Finally, Pakistan’s sanitation, irrigation, and water-carrying systems need urgent modernisation. Years of neglect, mismanagement, and inadequate capacity leave them overwhelmed during crises. Revamping and expanding these systems would allow water to move more efficiently across the country, reducing dangerous build-up.
These three measures—dams, enforcement against illegal construction, and modernised water systems—are the only long-term path forward. Pakistan must begin planning in decades, not reacting in despair each time the waters rise.