Let us prepare for monsoons now.

PUBLIC memory is said to be short, but one hopes it is not so short as to forget the ravages caused by monsoon rains last year. With the risk of extreme weather conditions and heavy rains increasing with time, people in Pakistan, and, indeed, the officials of Pakistan have to learn to live with the reality of the climate change phenomenon.

Karachi, being a coastal city, is particularly prone to intense weather patterns, like the current heatwave and the feared monsoon ahead. In recent years, we have seen an increase in the frequency and severity of extreme weather events that had a devastating impact on the city, its infrastructure and its inhabitants.

With the monsoon season fast approaching, it is important to take proactive measures to mitigate the risks of extreme weather and heavy rain. We need to move now rather than waiting for the monsoon to first arrive. And this applies to areas and regions across the country.

In recent years, we have seen the consequences of inaction in the face of extreme weather events, with lives lost...