Pakistan’s flood crisis isn’t just a matter of weather it’s a complex combination of climate change, poor infrastructure, and policy gaps, as explained in Al Jazeera’s in-depth report (July 17, 2025) .

Here are the key reasons Pakistan faces devastating floods year after year:

• Unpredictable and Extreme Monsoons:
  Climate change has made monsoon patterns increasingly erratic. Rainfall that once spread over weeks now falls in hours, overwhelming rivers, drains, and dams not built for such intensity.
• Melting Glaciers in the North:
  Pakistan has over 7,000 glaciers more than any country outside the polar regions. Rising temperatures are causing glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs), sending sudden torrents downstream that devastate villages and farmlands.
• Rapid Urbanization Without Planning:
  Cities like Karachi, Lahore, and Rawalpindi have expanded rapidly without proper drainage infrastructure. Green belts have turned into concrete jungles, and natural waterways have been blocked, causing urban flooding even during moderate rains.
• Deforestation and Poor Land Use:
  Illegal logging and land encroachment have stripped many flood-prone areas of natural barriers. With no tree cover or wetlands to absorb excess water, floods hit harder and faster.