From Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to Balochistan, Sindh and Punjab, the monsoon rains have left a trail of death and destruction. Over Eidul Azha days, the monsoon rains have claimed more than 60 lives across the country. Karachi and the rest of Sindh had witnessed the deaths of 27 people up to July 12. In rain-related havoc, parts of KP and Balochistan were completely flooded. In Sindh, the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) has issued warnings for more rainfall.
The main problem is that over the past 50 years or so, the drainage system has almost choked in main cities – Peshawar, Karachi, Quetta, Lahore and the twin cities of Rawalpindi/Islamabad. The existing drains are simply inadequate to carry rainwater when it pours for hours and even days. In most big cities, the drainage systems are in a huge mess. The solid waste is not dumped into the assigned landfill sites but thrown anywhere and everywhere.
Of course, the local administration in metropolitan cities tries to clear the roads, but unless broad and deep drains are dug and paved along all major arteries, the cities will continue to be submerged. This is not rocket science. This is basic urban management and town planning. Cosmetic steps and photo ops may give a sense of quick response, but they have failed to solve the problem for the past many years. The monsoon is in full swing and, from Gilgit to Gwadar, there is hardly any part of the country which is not affected. Since the monsoon season lasts through August, therefore the governments from federal to local levels need to remain in high state of alert.