ISLAMABAD: Federal Secretary for Climate Change and Environmental Coordination Aisha Humera Moriani has stressed the need for Pakistan to shift from a reactive to a proactive, risk-based approach to drought management, warning that climate change is intensifying the frequency and severity of droughts.
Addressing a national consultative workshop on the National Drought Action Plan in Islamabad, she said drought was no longer an occasional threat but a persistent challenge driven by rising temperatures, water stress and climate variability.
She noted that Pakistan is among the countries facing high water risk, adding that drought directly impacts agriculture, water resources, food security, ecosystems and livelihoods. Past responses, she said, have largely focused on post-impact relief rather than preparedness.
Moriani highlighted the need for a coordinated institutional and policy framework to translate data into action. She acknowledged the contributions of the International Water Management Institute and the Pakistan Meteorological Department in developing the Pakistan Drought Management System, which provides real-time monitoring and early warning capabilities.
She said the Ministry, with support from the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, had developed the National Drought Action Plan after extensive consultations. The plan focuses on planning and resource mobilisation, governance and policy, early warning systems, local mitigation actions and capacity building.
The workshop brought together representatives from federal and provincial governments, development partners and organisations including the Food and Agriculture Organization and the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office to finalise an operational framework for implementing the plan.
Participants discussed priority sectors, institutional roles and responsibilities, and a roadmap for short-, medium- and long-term actions.
Moriani stressed that effective drought management requires strong coordination among the National Disaster Management Authority, technical agencies, provincial departments and development partners. She reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to facilitating collaboration to finalise a practical and nationally owned action plan.
The workshop is expected to produce an operational framework outlining coordination mechanisms, priority sectors for drought risk reduction, and proposals to establish a National Drought Management Committee and a Technical Advisory Committee, along with an implementation roadmap.