ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Climate Change Minister Musadik Malik on Friday warned wealthy business tycoons of action against resorts, hotels and housing societies built on riverbeds after floods inundated the northern and eastern parts of the country.
Swollen rivers in Pakistan’s most populous province, Punjab, have submerged more than 1,600 villages and displaced over 1.1 million people, with about 40 deaths reported in the region since Aug. 15, according to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).
Mass evacuations began after heavier-than-usual monsoon rains and the release of water from overflowing dams in India triggered flash floods in low-lying border areas of Pakistan.
Media footage showed water from the Ravi River entering a lavish private housing society in the eastern city of Lahore last night as police urged residents to evacuate immediately.
“This monsoon is our declaration of war. We will not stop now and will remove every obstacle from the river’s path,” Malik said while addressing a televised news conference in Karachi during his visit.
