This article focuses on the policy implementation barriers that result in poor adaptation and enhanced risk of exposure to extreme vulnerabilities, based on experiences in Pakistan. A number of policy implementation barriers are identified including: (i) Whether policy development is seen as a closed or open consultation process, (ii) Whether policy is seen as a generic document or an instrument for specific actions, and (iii) Whether policy administration is seen as a central or devolved process. As a case study, Pakistan's national climate change policy was considered. Pakistan is the eighth most climate change impacted country in the world. The results conclude that a prevalent top‐down frame of management, centred‐around federalism, has created vacuums for misinterpretation, poor understanding amongst policy implementers and false expectations of policy goals. A critical aspect of this disconnect is the lack of inclusivity of critical stakeholder groups in the policy design and development stages thus creating various barriers resulting in mistrust between different governing entities and vice versa. The study also highlights the nature of this problem and recommends a closer examination of the prerequisites of engagement in climate decision‐making for better understanding and implementation of adaptation practices in de‐centralised governance.