KARACHI: Federal Minister for Climate Change Musadik Malik has vowed firm action against influential groups who have illegally constructed hotels, resorts, and housing schemes along rivers, calling it a “war” to reclaim natural waterways and protect vulnerable communities.
Speaking to the media in Karachi, Malik said it was heartbreaking to see how the elite had occupied river land for profit while the poor bore the brunt of floods. “These unauthorized projects turn into disasters during floods, sweeping away slum dwellers and causing massive loss of life. In recent floods, 800 people perished—more than in many conflicts,” he noted.
The minister, who traveled extensively through Gilgit-Baltistan, said such encroachments were never built by ordinary citizens. “It is always the powerful who construct hotels and luxury resorts along rivers. When floods arrive, these buildings collapse and become deadly projectiles for downstream communities,” he warned.
Reiterating Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s position, Malik declared that the state would no longer tolerate such practices. “No one is above the law. This year, the government will dismantle all encroachments from rivers and ensure accountability. This is a war for the protection of the poor, and we will not stop until waterways are cleared,” he stressed.
He also urged the creation of natural reserves to conserve floodwaters for year-round use. Warning against illegal deforestation, Malik said cut trees carried by floods intensify destruction downstream. “Nature must be respected. Trees are our only shield against floods, and we must plant more to save lives,” he concluded.
