ISLAMABAD, AUG 18: The Senate on Monday expressed deep concern over the devastation caused by floods across the country, with lawmakers urging Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to declare a national flood emergency.
During the session, senators blamed the timber mafia and land grabbers for worsening the scale of destruction, calling for a grand operation against them.
They suggested that if needed, the army should be called in to support enforcement actions. Lawmakers stressed that the country cannot rely on prayers alone to combat natural disasters, and long-term practical measures must be taken.
Senator Mohsin Aziz said rivers, including the Indus, Ravi and Kabul, as well as key drains such as Nullah Leh, were encroached upon. He called for clearing encroachments from Khyber to Karachi, even if it required army assistance. Senator Rubina Khalid urged the prime minister to declare the floods a national calamity, noting that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was particularly hard-hit and criticizing the issuance of NOCs for hotels and restaurants on riverbanks in the province, where she said the timber mafia remained influential.
Senator Kamran Murtaza pointed out that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had witnessed an unprecedented number of cloudburst incidents this year, calling for a detailed review of causes behind such disasters. He said Pakistan must pair prayers with concrete planning to effectively deal with natural calamities.
Meanwhile, Senator Sherry Rehman proposed donating lawmakers’ salaries to flood victims. Senate Chairman Yousaf Raza Gillani endorsed the suggestion and called for consensus among members.
