Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has attributed the recent flood damages to encroachment on riverbeds and natural waterways, urging the government to prioritise the construction of small dams instead of decades of planning to initiate mega projects.

Speaking on the floor of National Assembly on Monday, defence minister said rain is a blessing, not a calamity, and urged the nation to take responsibility of the consequences, caused by encroachment as well as poor urban planning.

“Rain is a blessing. The destruction is caused because we have built housing societies and commercial structures on land that belongs to rivers and stormwater drains,” Asif remarked.

He pointed out that many residential and commercial developments have been built illegally on flood-prone areas, including in cities like Sialkot, where encroachment have blocked river routes, worsening the impact of floods.

The defence minister also criticised the country’s long-standing reliance on building mega dams, which often takes decades to complete, suggesting that small dams should be prioritised at the village level to manage water and reduce flood risks effectively.

“Large dams like Bhasha, Diamer, and Mohmand take 10 to 15 years to build. In waiting for them, we risk losing everything. We must start building small dams—every village should have its own,” he said.