ISLAMABAD:
Senate Standing Committee on Climate Change and Environmental Coordination Chair Senator Sherry Rehman on Thursday called the continued cuts in climate allocations “shocking”, warning that Pakistan was entering a period of heightened climate vulnerability marked by intensifying heat waves, accelerated melting of glaciers, erratic rainfall, worsening water insecurity and growing environmental stress in urban centres.
Chairing a meeting of the committee, Rehman expressed concern over the reduction in the Public Sector Development Program (PSDP) allocation for the Climate Ministry, which amounts to Rs 2,478 crore for 2026-27 after having decreased from Rs 3,500 crore to Rs 2,700 crore in the previous fiscal year.
“Climate risks are increasing, not decreasing. However, allocations continue to be reduced while implementation challenges persist,” he said, while noting that the ministry had struggled to fully utilize previously allocated funds. The senator questioned the rationale behind the establishment of the Climate Change Authority, arguing that climate governance required stronger coordination rather than additional bureaucratic structures.
“What is the function of this authority and what does the Climate Ministry not be able to do?” he asked, describing it as another state-owned entity (SOE) with no clearly defined objectives.
Referring to government figures, he noted that losses incurred by state-owned enterprises reached Rs 832.8 billion in fiscal year 2025, while cumulative losses had risen to Rs 6.56 trillion. He added that Rs 451 billion had been reallocated to state-owned enterprises in the current budget.
The committee also reviewed Pakistan’s preparedness for the upcoming monsoon season, with detailed reports from the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and the Capital Development Authority (CDA).
NDMA Chairman Inam Haider Malik informed lawmakers that the 2026-27 period was expected to be influenced by El Niño conditions, increasing the likelihood of extreme weather events and increased climate variability across the region.
