BAKU (May 17, 2026) - Federal Minister for Climate Change and Environmental Coordination Dr. Musadik Malik warned that climate change, unsafe housing and urban inequality were pushing millions of vulnerable Pakistanis deeper into poverty, urging the global community to place “justice-centred” solutions at the heart of urban planning.

Delivering Pakistan’s national statement at the 13th session of the World Urban Forum 13 in Baku, Dr Malik said climate disasters were wiping out decades of progress for poor communities living in unsafe settlements.

“It can take two generations for a family to escape poverty, yet floods can destroy decades of progress within days,” he said, adding that the crisis was “not merely a housing issue but fundamentally a crisis of justice”.

The minister said nearly half of Pakistan’s 240 million population now lived in urban areas, while around 55 per cent of the urban population resided in informal settlements and slums.

“Slums are not merely a policy category. Slums are a life category. Real people live in these slums,” he remarked.

Referring to the 2024 Karachi heatwave, Dr Malik said temperatures had reached 47°C and nearly 560 people reportedly died within a week, with the worst impact falling on poor communities lacking access to healthcare, cooling systems and safe housing.

Highlighting the impact of recurring floods, he said around 6,000 people had lost their lives in Pakistan’s last four major floods, while nearly 40 million people were displaced.

Dr Malik stressed that affordable housing must be recognised as a basic right rather than treated as a welfare measure, warning against “housing built for investors instead of people”.

Calling for a “Baku Call for Action”, he urged countries to adopt inclusive, resilient and equitable urban policies prioritising vulnerable communities and discouraging speculative housing practices.
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For official communication or media-related inquiries, please contact: Muhammad Saleem Shaikh, Deputy Director (Media and Communication) Ministry of Climate Change and Environmental Coordination, Government of Pakistan at email:  dd.media@mocc.gov.pk