Pakistan has suffered a human toll from its last four major floods exceeding the casualties of any single war in the nation’s history, with over 4,700 lives lost and more than 17,000 individuals left disabled, Federal Minister Dr. Musadik Malik disclosed on Friday.

Speaking at a conference commemorating 25 years of Indus River Dolphin conservation today, the Minister for Climate Change and Environmental Coordination emphasized that the human cost of these climate-induced disasters is far more devastating than the staggering economic losses, which have surpassed 9.5 percent of the country”s GDP.

Dr. Malik warned that unchecked pollution and climate change are directly fueling rising temperatures and accelerating glacier melt. He expressed grave concern over the state of the nation”s waterways, highlighting that the River Ravi”s water quality has deteriorated to the point of being unfit for agricultural use, let alone for human consumption.

The conference, organized by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), marked a quarter-century of dedicated conservation initiatives for the Indus River Dolphin.

During his address, the Federal Minister appreciated WWF’s long-standing efforts and reaffirmed the full support of the Ministry. He stated that the Government of Pakistan stands shoulder to shoulder with the organization and is committed to close cooperation for biodiversity protection and environmental sustainability.

Dr. Malik concluded by framing the preservation of the endangered species as a profound moral obligation, describing the mission to save the Indus River Dolphin as “a matter of protecting life and humanity.”