PESHAWAR: A lawyer on Tuesday moved Peshawar High Court to seek directives for federal and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa governments to develop and implement a comprehensive disaster management plan and provide adequate compensation and relief to victims of recent natural disasters in the province.

Advocate Ahmad Mujtaba, belonging to Swabi district, filed a petition in the high court, seeking multiple reliefs related to disasters and natural calamities including floods.

The petitioner has requested the court to issue directives to governments to take measures for preventing landslide and flash floods including afforestation, infrastructure development and other mitigating measures.

He sought directives of the court for respondents to establish early warning system and emergency preparedness plans for the areas prone to disasters; establish a monitoring and oversight mechanism to ensure that the disaster management plan is implemented effectively; conduct a thorough assessment of the damage caused by natural disasters in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and take steps to restore and rebuild affected infrastructure and communities; provide basic necessities like food, shelter and medical aid; and take measures for mitigating the impact of climate change and adapt to its consequences.

The petition filed through Advocate Mohammad Hamdan includes as respondents federal government through attorney general for Pakistan, federal secretary ministry of climate change and environmental coordination, KP government through its advocate general, KP chief secretary, and secretary relief, rehabilitation and settlement department.

The petitioner said that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was facing significant climate change impacts including increasing frequency and intensity of natural disasters like cloudburst, flash floods and sometimes droughts as well as rising temperature.

He stated that the respondents and all relevant authorities failed in terms of institutional capacity as they lacked technical expertise in the matter.

The petitioner said that increasing frequency of cloudburst, floods and landslide in the province was due to its geography and climate. He said that climate change was exacerbating those natural disasters causing displacement of people and loss of lives and properties.

The petitioner contended that disasters had also a significant impact on local economy including damage to infrastructure, loss of crops and disruption of businesses.

He also claimed that the climate crises particularly events like devastating floods led to significant increase in mental health issues like depression, anxiety and stress among the affected people.

He contended that the failure of respondents to take adequate measures to address climate change violated fundamental rights of citizens of the province including right to life under Article 9 of the Constitution and right to clean and healthy environment under Article 9-A of the Constitution.

Published in Dawn, August 20th, 2025