Pakistan is once again caught unprepared as flash floods wreak havoc in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. At least 325 people have lost their lives, more than 150 remain missing, and hundreds are injured in what has become one of the most destructive monsoons in years. Nationwide, the death toll since late June has climbed to 657. Among the victims are 171 children and 94 women, underscoring the enormous human cost of this repeated failure.
The provincial government has announced Rs800 million in aid for affected districts and Rs500 million specifically for Buner, one of the hardest-hit areas. Yet these funds are only a stopgap. Relief trucks and helicopters are active, but large areas remain cut off, leaving families stranded without help. Forecasts warn of two or three more waves of heavy rain in September, making the situation even more dangerous.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has now ordered his cabinet members to supervise relief work in person. But this step comes late and reflects a deeper malaise. Every year, Pakistan finds itself responding to disasters rather than preparing for them. The devastation of the 2022 floods should have triggered real reforms, yet little has changed.
Emergency cash and helicopter missions cannot replace what the country truly needs: disaster-proof infrastructure, early warning systems, and effective urban planning. Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, with its fragile riverbanks and mountain terrain, will remain at risk unless resilience becomes a national priority.
The lack of preparation continues to turn seasonal rains into deadly flash floods. Unless planning, climate adaptation, and disaster management are taken seriously, the cycle of destruction will repeat with even higher costs in lives and livelihoods each year.