Pakistan unveils first national drought action plan

Pakistan has moved to formalise its first nationwide drought action plan as officials warn that rising temperatures, erratic climate patterns and worsening water stress are turning drought into a persistent national risk rather than an occasional emergency.

Speaking at a consultative workshop in Islamabad, Federal Secretary for Climate Change and Environmental Coordination Aisha Humera Moriani said the country must shift from post-disaster relief to advance planning, early warning and coordinated risk management. She stressed that drought is already affecting agriculture, water resources, food security, ecosystems and livelihoods across Pakistan.

Officials said the new framework has been prepared with support from international partners and is built around planning, governance, early warning, local mitigation and capacity-building. Participants from federal and provincial institutions, technical agencies and development partners discussed priority sectors, implementation roles and a phased roadmap aimed at turning data and forecasting into practical action on the ground.