Islamabad, September 7, 2025: Former federal minister Muhammad Ali Durrani and ex-federal secretary Ashfaq Gondal have strongly criticised the government’s handling of the ongoing floods, warning that the ruling elite’s indifference could deepen the crisis.
Speaking on the digital platform Talkies Live, the two leaders condemned what they termed “political photo-ops” amid unprecedented devastation. They demanded that such publicity stunts be banned and urged Army Chief Field Marshal General Asim Munir to establish a special task force for flood relief under his direct supervision.
“The rulers are staging photo sessions while the reality on the ground is horrific enough to send shivers down the spine,” Durrani said. “Livestock, crops, and homes have been destroyed nationwide, forcing millions to survive under the open sky. After ravaging Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab, the deadly waves now threaten Sindh.”
He added that despite prior warnings, the government failed to prepare. “Even now, while the catastrophe deepens, the Prime Minister is on foreign trips, showing little concern for the suffering masses,” he said, pointing to Shehbaz Sharif’s ongoing visit to China for the SCO summit.
Durrani also lamented missed opportunities in mobilising international support. He recalled that after previous floods, the UN estimated $15 billion in damages but received rehabilitation plans worth only $3 billion from Pakistan. “Today again, the scale of destruction is being concealed, and media is being coerced into projecting that ‘all is well,’” he alleged.
Ashfaq Gondal added that disaster management institutions had lost public trust. “The NDMA and provincial authorities have failed. Inflation is set to surge after the floods, and there is a looming threat of epidemics. Rehabilitation of victims remains a major question mark,” he said.
Both praised the armed forces and Rangers for their relief efforts and stressed the need for a non-political, broad-based task force. “This task force must include students, social workers, and technical experts who can assess damages and devise a practical rehabilitation plan,” Durrani said. He also suggested taking delegations from the IMF and other international organisations to flood-hit areas so they could witness the devastation first-hand.
In a stark warning, Durrani said: “If the wounds of the people are not healed and they continue to be mocked by hollow promises, the country risks sliding into major internal conflict.”
