Sindh Agriculture University Tandojam and Centre for Business and Economic Research (CBER), Institute of Business Administration Karachi jointly organized a special webinar titled “Floods 2022: Situation, Response, Blind Spots, and Way Forward” on 1st September 2022. Dr. Junaid Alam Memon, Director CBER, moderated the webinar and set the context by introducing the speakers.
Dr. Fateh Marri, Vice Chancellor Sindh Agriculture University Tando Jam provided the status for the current situation of the disaster and emphasized the loss of economic activity, future productions, missed opportunities, and the limited capacity of human resources. He said that the universities of Pakistan are not only engaged in flood relief operations but are committed to providing policy advice, technical assistance, and setup solution-oriented research agenda.
Dr.Iqrar Ahmed Khan, Vice Chancellor of the University of Agriculture Faisalabad highlighted that drainage is the main issue for Sindh province due to its location and it requires attention. He also suggested that while providing food items to affected households, the feed for their livestock may also be part of their relief package. He hoped that the farmers would be able to cultivate wheat if lands become ready otherwise oilseeds are to be planned.
Dr. Mubarik Ahmed from TDAP confirmed that the agriculture losses to the country are huge, and among other crops, some 80% of the cotton in Sindh and 100% of the cotton crop in Baluchistan are affected. He warned that the disaster would result in reduced export and increase our dependence on food and seed imports.
Dr. Abdul Rehman, Pro Vice Chancellor, BUITMS, Quetta talked about damages to cities and pointed toward increased incidences of domestic violence, child labor, and various forms of harassment that often slip from disaster response initiatives.
Mr. Naseer Memon, Country Representative of Asian Disaster Preparedness Center Pakistan pointed out that the encroachment in the rural and urban areas is the underlying cause of the flood-induced disaster and held weak institutional capacity and lack of political will is responsible for that.
Dr. Shereen Narejo, former Chairperson of Planning, and Development Department Sindh spoke at a webinar that the issue of population growth is often missed in climate discourse and emphasized that disaster is our collective problem and requires collective action. She said that society as a whole has to take the required steps, and academia and others have to play their due role.
While concluding the webinar Mr. Fazullilah Qureshi, Former Federal Secretary, Planning Commission pointed out that floods may be a national catastrophe but of different magnitude for different provinces and suggested that Sindh is worst hit due to faulty projects such as LBOD. He said that a minimum amount of Rs. 400 billion be allocated for flood recovery for Sindh by federal and provincial governments by reducing unnecessary expenditures. He proposed to have an oversight body including government, academia, and civil society for flood recovery works and funds management.
In his closing remarks, Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed Chairman Higher Education Commission informed that HEC has created a sizable research fund specifically to support evidence-based and solution-oriented research to address current and future natural disasters. He said that the higher education sector is fully aware of the situation and public and private sector universities are playing their role in relief work. The webinar was attended by Dr. Qamar u Zaman, Vice Chancellor, Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi, Dr. Robina Wihaj of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, and others

Now that the sky is blue after an unprecedented spell of monsoon in Balochistan has come to an end, scars of such heavy downpours left on the province are becoming visible, and demand for a swift rehabilitation process in the province.
A presentation made by a senior engineer of Balochistan Engr. Nasir Majeed in a major moot of the Water Resources Thinktank of Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC) revealed that the monsoon rains which broke historic records of downpours severely damaged the canal irrigation system of the province.
Since this system is the backbone of the province and irrigates one million acres of land in the Naseerabad Division, Balochistan demands the restoration of the system immediately.
The moot in which another senior engineer of Balochistan Engr. Salam also participated in the province demanded that a team of Water Experts from the Pakistan Engineering Council (PEEEC) or well-reputed consultants at the national level may be constituted to review the hydrological and structural design parameters of all small and medium dams of the province to make recommendations for future planning by considering the climate change factor and recommend guidelines for the safety of the dams to sustain such abnormal rains.
The presentation further said:
A new Plan of Flood Management be developed/designed for low-lying & vulnerable areas which are always under threat, by considering all safety factors due to Climate Change.
The present capacity of the irrigation drainage canal is 2600 Cusecs, Which may be enhanced up to 6000 Cusecs to cater to flood water safely.
All the Hill Torrents hitting directly to the Canal system be properly managed through flood harvesting structures to mitigate damages.
It said Balochistan is highly vulnerable to climate change impacts given its inherent aridity and low and erratic precipitation. Severe droughts were recorded from 1973 to 75, 1998 to 2005, and 2009 to 2018.
The median annual rainfall ranges from just over 200 mm in the northeast to less than 50 mm in the southwest of the province. Generally, humidity is low ranging between 20-40%. So the Province falls in the arid zone.
Engr Nasir Majeed said all major dams and structures for storing water in Balochistan are safe. However, the rains have damaged many structures of these projects.
He indicated 19 works that he said should be taken on an emergency basis as restoration and improvement were required. These include the restoration and rehabilitation of three canals and a drainage system in Naseerabad, Jaffarabad, and Sohbatpur.
In Lasbela, the construction of Gagoo & Bela Town Protection Bund and the Rehabilitation of Tharrha Bund Bela Town is required.
In Harnai, Flood Protection Structure for Killi mirza and Killi lal khan, Killi ghareebad, Killi Marpani and Killi zawi, in Kech, Restoration and Improvement of Flood Protection Bund Left Bank of Kech Kaur, in Nushki, Restoration of Flood Protection Bund & Cunnet Killi Qadirabad and Restoration of Spillway Gazool Dam, Azdha Khol & Rako Dam, in Gwadar, Restoration of Ballar Dam Saddle Bund are required. Likewise, ten other restoration and rehabilitation works have also been indicated. – ER Report