- Climate change is exacerbating drought and water stress.
- The government seeks proactive risk-based response.
- The workshop aims to finalize operational frameworks.
ISLAMABAD: Federal Secretary for Climate Change and Environment Coordination Aisha Humera Moriani has stressed the urgent need for Pakistan to move from a reactive to a proactive, risk-based approach to drought management, warning that climate change is making droughts more frequent and more severe.
Addressing a National Consultative Workshop on the National Drought Action Plan in Islamabad, she said drought was no longer a distant or occasional threat, but an increasingly persistent challenge driven by rising temperatures, water stress and climate variability.
“Pakistan is already among the countries facing high water risk, and drought directly affects agriculture, water resources, food security, ecosystems and livelihoods,” she said, adding that previous responses had largely focused on relief rather than preparedness.
Moriani highlighted the need for a coordinated institutional and policy framework to translate data into action. She acknowledged the role of the International Water Management Institute, Pakistan Meteorological Department and partners in the development of the Pakistan Drought Management System, which allows for real-time monitoring and early warning.
“This is a significant step forward. However, data alone is not enough. We need systems that ensure timely data-informed and evidence-based decisions and implementation on the ground,” she said.
The Secretary informed the participants that the Ministry, with the support of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification and after extensive consultations, had developed a National Drought Action Plan. The plan is structured around key pillars, including planning and resource mobilization, governance and policy, early warning systems, local mitigation measures and capacity building.
The workshop, attended by representatives from federal and provincial governments, development partners and organizations including IWMI, PMD, the Food and Agriculture Organization and the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, aimed to finalize an operational framework for implementing the plan.
Participants discussed identifying priority sectors, defining institutional roles and responsibilities, and developing a roadmap for short-, medium-, and long-term actions.
Moriani stressed that effective drought management required strong coordination between federal and provincial governments, technical agencies and development partners.
“Drought is a cross-sectoral challenge and requires a whole-of-government and a whole-of-society approach,” she stressed.
The Ministerial Secretary for Climate Change and Environment Coordination reiterated his ministry’s commitment to facilitate coordination with key stakeholders, including the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), PMD and the provincial departments, and called on participants to contribute technical inputs to finalize a practical and nationally owned action plan.
The expected outcomes of the workshop included an operational framework document outlining institutional roles and coordination mechanisms, identification of priority sectors for drought risk reduction, and proposals for the establishment of a National Drought Management Committee and a Technical Advisory Committee. A roadmap for implementation, including timelines and reporting structures, is also expected.
