The prime minister asks the climate minister to plan ahead of the monsoon season

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday directed the Federal Minister for Climate Change and Environment Coordination, Dr. Musadik Malik, to strengthen preparations for the coming monsoon season.

In late April, the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) had warned that the subcontinent may witness a ‘subdued monsoon’ this year as the warming weather phenomenon El Niño is expected to develop later this year.

During a meeting with Malik on Wednesday, the prime minister also directed the relevant authorities to strengthen the early warning system to ensure continuous monitoring of areas vulnerable to natural disasters.

Also read: El Nino warming to return by mid-2026: UN

During the meeting, the climate minister briefed the prime minister about the performance of the early warning systems installed in the mountainous areas of Gilgit-Baltistan to study Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOF) and flash floods.

The frequency of GLOF has increased over the years, according to research published by the Pakistan Journal of Meteorology.

The research also advocates constant monitoring of the vulnerable Gilgit-Baltistan region to minimize humanitarian and other losses.