Amidst the growing water crisis due to climate change, Pakistan has unveiled its first National Drought Action Plan (NDAP),
Federal Secretary for Climate Change and Environmental Coordination, Ayesha Humaira Moryani today stressed the urgent need for this change, warning that drought is ‘no longer a distant or occasional threat’ but a constant threat due to rising temperatures and climate variability.
Speaking at a national consultative workshop, Ms Moriani stated that Pakistan is already among the nations facing high water risk, with severe consequences for agriculture, food security, ecosystems, and livelihoods. She noted that past responses had largely concentrated on post-impact aid rather than preparedness.
The climate ministry secretary highlighted the necessity for a coordinated institutional framework to turn crucial data into effective action. While acknowledging the development of the Pakistan Drought Management System (PakDMS) by partners like the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) and the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), she cautioned, ‘data alone is not enough. We need systems that ensure timely data-informed and evidence-based decisions and on-ground implementation.’
Developed with support from the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), the new action plan is structured around key pillars including planning and resource mobilisation, governance, early warning systems, local mitigation, and capacity building.
The workshop convened representatives from federal and provincial governments, development partners, and organisations such as the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). The assembly’s primary objective was to finalise an operational framework for the plan’s implementation.
Discussions focused on identifying priority sectors, defining institutional roles and responsibilities, and creating a roadmap for short-, medium-, and long-term actions. The expected outcomes include the establishment of a National Drought Management Committee and a Technical Advisory Committee to guide the initiative.
Ms Moriani emphasised that effective drought management demands a ‘whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach’ due to its cross-sectoral nature, and she reiterated her ministry’s commitment to facilitating coordination among all stakeholders.
Mohammad Saleem Shaikh, a ministry media spokesperson and climate policy specialist, elaborated on the challenges, noting that Pakistan continues to grapple with recurring droughts due to climate variability, water scarcity, and heavy reliance on monsoon rainfall. He observed that the adverse impacts cut across numerous sectors, from water supply to energy production.
Mr Shaikh expressed hope that the NDAP would provide a unified framework to move away from the historically reactive and sector-specific responses. He explained that the plan will offer operational drought monitoring and forecasting tools to support timely decision-making, which had previously been limited without a national strategy.
‘Effective and well-coordinated implementation of the NDAP will help bridge existing gaps by providing a strategic roadmap to strengthen preparedness, mitigation and response, while improving institutional coordination to reduce vulnerability and safeguard livelihoods,’ he concluded.