Shangla and the Climate Crisis
Torrential rains and flash floods have left at least 23 people dead and eight others injured in Shangla, where the monsoon onslaught has destroyed houses, mosques, schools, and the roads and bridges connecting the district’s mountainous communities. Farmland has also been severely damaged, compounding the suffering of already vulnerable families.
When such disasters strike, Shangla’s residents face immediate and severe disruptions to electricity. Most villages depend on small, locally built generators along rivers — even though two dams in Shangla generate around 86 megawatts of electricity, far exceeding the district’s estimated requirement of just 7 megawatts. Yet, due to policy restrictions, Shangla’s own power supply is not provided to its residents. As a result, floods not only damage the local generators but also plunge communities into darkness, forcing them to endure prolonged blackouts while their surplus electricity is sent elsewhere.
Communication is another casualty. Internet service, already unreliable across the district, collapses almost entirely during such events. With damaged lines and disrupted signals, residents are cut off from vital information, unable to contact loved ones or access digital resources — a serious handicap in an era when connectivity is essential for safety, education, and livelihood.
Road infrastructure, too, remains a longstanding vulnerability. The road to the Kana region, serving 10 major villages, is a telling example. Originally constructed in 1964 under the Wali of Swat, it remained neglected for decades and is only now, in 2025, undergoing reconstruction — a process that began after public protests and threats to withhold votes unless its tender was approved. Floods wreak havoc on such roads, and given the slow pace of repair, damage can mean years of isolation. This affects not only transportation but also timely access to health facilities, schools, and the district headquarters.
In the aftermath of such disasters, a familiar refrain emerges: that the calamity is a manifestation of God’s wrath, brought upon by human misdeeds. While faith is an essential part of community life, Islamic teachings require a closer look at this assumption.
The Qur’an clearly states in Surah Al-Isra (17:15):
“Whoever follows guidance is guided only for [the benefit of] his soul. And whoever goes astray does so only to its detriment. And no bearer of burdens will bear the burden of another. And We never punish until We have sent a Messenger.”
According to this principle, collective divine punishment comes only after a Messenger has been sent to a specific community, conveyed the truth completely, and faced persistent rejection. In the absence of such a scenario, natural disasters cannot automatically be equated with divine retribution.
This distinction matters because attributing every earthquake, flood, or landslide solely to divine punishment can inadvertently absolve society of its responsibility to investigate causes, address vulnerabilities, and improve preparedness.
Scientific evidence shows that Pakistan is among the top 10 countries most affected by climate change. Glacial melt, erratic monsoons, and more intense rainfall are increasing the frequency and severity of floods in regions like Shangla. Deforestation, unregulated construction, poor drainage systems, and fragile infrastructure — from power lines to rural roads — compound the risks, turning heavy rain into lethal disaster.
Ignoring these factors in favor of fatalistic explanations risks repeating the same tragedies year after year. Climate change adaptation is no longer optional — it is a survival imperative.
Shangla’s tragedy should serve as a call for urgent, coordinated action. Strengthening infrastructure, improving early warning systems, enforcing environmental protections, upgrading communication networks, and investing in disaster-resilient housing are essential steps. The government must also integrate local communities into disaster risk reduction plans, ensuring they are trained and equipped to respond.
Pakistan needs binding national and provincial policies that link climate change adaptation with development planning. Budget allocations for disaster preparedness — whether for sturdy bridges, reliable electricity grids, or climate-proof internet access — must be treated as an investment, not as a charitable afterthought.
If a bridge is swept away because it was poorly built, or a community loses power because local generators were their only source despite nearby dams, calling it solely “divine punishment” distracts from preventable causes. Faith can coexist with science, but survival demands that we acknowledge human responsibility.
The people of Shangla are not just victims of nature’s fury — they are casualties of inadequate planning and neglect. As they bury their dead and rebuild their lives, the nation must move beyond fatalism, confront the reality of climate change, and commit to policies that protect lives and livelihoods.
The next flood is not a question of if — it is a question of when. Whether it will claim dozens of lives again depends entirely on what we do now.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial stance, policies, or official position of The Spine Times.
