Islamabad – Defence Minister Khawaja Asif blamed unchecked commercial construction on waterways for the devastation caused by recent floods. Speaking during a National Assembly session chaired by Speaker Ayaz Sadiq, Asif said this destruction was the result of human negligence, not a natural disaster.
He criticized the trend of building housing societies and hotels on riverbanks and natural drainage paths. “We narrowed rivers, sold plots inside streams, and now act surprised when nature pushes back,” he said. Asif stressed that rivers’ land was illegally used for housing projects, especially in areas like Sialkot, which led to floodwaters entering populated zones.
Asif lamented that despite facing floods every year and seeking international aid, authorities failed to fix the root causes. “Every year we count billions in damage, ask the UN for help, but don’t change our own behavior,” he said. He questioned how many anti-encroachment operations had actually been carried out in recent years.
He acknowledged that authoritarian regimes in the past had the power to build major dams, unlike democratic governments where consensus often stalls progress. “During democracy, everyone looks left and right, protecting their own politics rather than the people,” he added. He proposed constructing dozens of small dams instead of waiting 15 years for mega projects like Mohmand and Bhasha dams.
Khawaja Asif concluded by urging political unity on national issues such as water and climate change. He emphasized that these challenges go beyond politics and require immediate collective action. “We must rise above our shopkeeper politics. This is about national survival, not political gain,” he warned.