Press Release
Whether It Is the Issue of Floods or Kashmir, the Matter of the Economy or the Occupation of Our Rivers by the Hindu State—How Long Will We Continue to Wait for the 'International Community' to Resolve Our Problems?

After the devastating floods in the northern regions of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, particularly in Buner and surrounding areas, where hundreds of lives were lost and homes, livestock, belongings, and vehicles were swept away, fresh flood torrents are now passing through Punjab and will subsequently move towards Sindh. Earlier, Karachi too was struck by heavy rains. We pray to Allah Almighty for safety and well-being, for besides further forecasts of rainfall, our rulers have simply raised their hands and abandoned the entire matter to the mercy of the international community. They continue to present this entire issue in such a manner as if these are climatic changes entirely beyond their control, and if the 'international community' does not intervene, they will be left completely helpless—as though the protection of the lives and property of their people is not their responsibility but rather that of the international order!

For these rulers, the misery of millions of people is nothing but another opportunity to collect alms and charity from around the world under the guise of aid—money which in reality serves to fill their coffers. Over the past decade, Pakistan has been receiving on average between $1.4 billion to $2 billion annually in climate finance. Particularly after the 2020 floods, Pakistan received $4 billion in 2021. Pakistan has already placed demands before the international community for climate finance eight times greater than what it currently receives, one billion dollars of which is under the IMF’s Resilience and Sustainability Facility aimed at climate adaptation and disaster risk management. On January 9, 2023, the International Conference on Climate Resilient Pakistan was held in Geneva, where pledges exceeding Pakistan’s $8 billion request were made, though to this day not even 20% of that has materialized. Thus, instead of assuming responsibility for resolving the matter, the rulers have shifted the burden onto the international community and content themselves with siphoning off portions of the funds received into their own treasuries.

This issue is not limited to floods alone but reflects the permanent vision of these rulers. The ruling elite are convinced that the solution to our problems lies solely in the hands of the international order, without whose support and guidance we lack the strength or capability to resolve them. Our rulers and policymakers view Western policymaking and problem-solving with awe and consider clinging to it as the standard of progress, civilization, and professionalism—indeed, the majority of them have been trained directly by it. It is precisely this 'vision' that provides global powers with the means to intervene in our affairs and impose their agendas in line with their policies. Whether it be leaving the Kashmir issue to the United Nations, or outsourcing implementation of the Indus Waters Treaty to the World Bank, it is the consequence of this vision. Whether it is the current account deficit, shortfalls in state revenue, or the energy crisis, our rulers, under this vision, have imposed the IMF’s agenda and dictations. Owing to this same vision, the rights of various social groups are frequently framed in accordance with European and American agendas, provoking continuous protests from the people of Pakistan. Within our most important state institutions, interventions are enforced in the name of “institutional reforms,” dictated by the World Bank or the Asian Development Bank. As for Pakistan’s military and defense policies, border disputes, or Afghan strategy—these are directly overseen by the Pentagon, CENTCOM, and the State Department, while our rulers persistently align themselves with them. As a result of this vision, our sovereignty has been mortgaged to the international order. The irony is that these rulers, because of this slavish vision, attempt to mask their failure to resolve national problems by declaring it as “Allah’s will.” If only they possessed the moral courage to admit their failures!

According to Islam, the Khalifah (Caliphate) is responsible for the care of all the people’s affairs, and he cannot hand over any matter of the Muslims to the authority of disbelief. Allah, the Exalted, has said in the Qur’an: [وَلَن يَجْعَلَ اللَّهُ لِلْكَافِرِينَ عَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ سَبِيلًا] “And Allah will never grant the disbelievers any authority over the believers.” [An-Nisa: 141].

This verse explicitly demands that Muslims must not give disbelievers authority over any of their affairs, and doing so is categorically forbidden. The Khalifah will reject this slavish vision and assume direct responsibility for all the affairs of the Muslims.

According to our current budget documents, Pakistan is paying 8.2 trillion rupees in interest payments. The Khalifah would halt the use of this fiscal space for such prohibited and illegitimate purposes and instead utilize it to implement long-term projects for the protection of the lives and property of Muslims against floods and other crises. Without removing the present rulers and the cancerous vision of subservience they embody, there exists no path to salvation for the Muslims of Pakistan.

Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir
in Wilayah Pakistan