A FAMILY lost its buffalo during the floods earlier this year when the major rivers were overflowing. The buffalo was the family’s sole economic asset. At this moment of sadness, someone came to sympathise with the family, but the head of the household said it would have been better had he died instead, as then the family would mourn for a few days but life would then go on. However, the loss of the buffalo, he said, made his family not only mourn but also starve.

There are thousands of such stories, de­­scribing the plight of affected people who have been left penniless due to the disaster. Many families, already living hand-to-mouth, are now destitute and traumatised.

Pakistan is a resource-rich country, but around 40 per cent of its population lives below the poverty line. Every year we experience floods, storms, droughts, earthquakes and other calamities which increase poverty levels. The government is unable to control these calamities and cannot deal with their aftermath. Natural calamities occur due to inherent natural processes and forces.

External factors, such as climate change, intensify these events. While the underlying forces are natural, human activities can influence the frequency and severity of these occurrences, blurring the lines between natural hazards and human-induced disasters.

Solutions are needed on a self-help basis.

We must remember that Islam is the religion of ‘nature’, it emphasises understanding nature. The Holy Quran also says that “Allah burdens not a person beyond his scope …” (2:286). Such types of catastrophes remind us of Islam’s teaching that Allah tests His creation to make them resilient and create fortitude in their hearts and minds. Our life is made up of problems, they occur every day and it is nature’s way of testing and imparting lessons to human beings till one learns the meaning, and discovers the purpose, of life.

Normally, we receive advance signals and warnings, informing the community of impending disaster. It is necessary that advance preparations are made to deal with such situations. The challenge before Pakistan is not only to respond to disasters after they occur, but more importantly, to strengthen preparedness and resilience before they strike.

It is said that Pakistan’s contribution to climate change is negligible, but it is included in the list of the most affected countries of the world. Some circles have urged the government to make a global appeal for aid, but normally, the international community offers only sympathy on such occasions. For example, we have seen that in January 2023, Pakistan organised a conference in Geneva with the UN’s help, aimed at securing international support for its post-flood recovery and financial commitments for climate resilience after the devastating 2022 floods. Different states and institutions made commitments, but the majority of the pledges failed to materialise.

Pakistan needs to rely on no one, and seek solutions on a self-help basis without recourse to others. The finance minister also declared that Pakistan would not seek international aid after the 2025 floods. This is a good decision which enhances the nation’s self-respect.

Moreover, Pakistan needs to benefit from the experiences of those who have created the capability for climate resilience. There are countries which have solved the problems posed by natural calamities by developing solutions of their own, such as rain-harvesting systems, collecting rainwater during rainy days and subsequently using it in months of water scarcity.

Here the example of Singapore would be helpful. Singapore has largely solved its problem of wa­­ter scarcity. It currently imports wa­­t­er from neigh­bou-

ring Malaysia but has also adopted the Four National Taps Strategy and has planned to become fully self-sufficient by 2061 when its agreement with Malaysia ends.

It has developed a comprehensive network of drains, canals, and rivers, collects rainwater and channels it into 17 reservoirs across the country. This system also manages storm water to prevent flooding. Singapore collects and treats its used water to a high standard, producing safe and high-quality reclaimed water known as ‘NEWater’.

Singapore also removes salt from seawater through advanced desalination plants to produce fresh water. This technology has seen significant advancements and contributes a substantial portion of the country’s water supply. Singapore has heavily invest­­ed in developing and advancing water technologies, particularly in desalination and water reclamation.

This diversified and technological approach has made Singapore a global leader in water management and a model for other nations facing water scarcity challenges. It could help to learn from such examples.

The writer is an educationist with an interest in religion.

valianiamin@gmail.com

Published in Dawn, December 19th, 2025