PM Reviews Punjab Flood Situation, Urges Immediate Action on Dams and Disaster Preparedness
Islamabad – Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif chaired a high-level meeting on the ongoing flood situation in Punjab, stressing the urgent need to enhance water storage capacity across the country. “Storage capacity is the need of the hour. We must begin work immediately without any delay,” he said.
The premier emphasized the importance of generating resources independently to fund the construction of dams and reservoirs nationwide, adding that projects like the Diamer-Bhasha Dam must move forward without interruption.
While the floods first struck northern areas, Shehbaz noted, they are now causing significant damage in Punjab’s plains. He expressed condolences for the lives lost and commended the coordinated efforts of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), the Pakistan Army, and civil departments in rescue and relief operations.
Reflecting on the catastrophic 2022 floods in Sindh and Balochistan, the prime minister warned that Pakistan remains among the world’s top ten most climate-vulnerable countries, with such disasters likely to recur. He called for short-, medium-, and long-term strategies to strengthen disaster preparedness and response.
Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz expressed sorrow over the loss of lives, crops, and infrastructure, but assured that no deaths occurred due to negligence. She praised NDMA, PDMA, the police, civil defense, and the army for rescuing over 50,000 people, ensuring timely evacuations, and protecting livestock through early warning systems.
With parts of the Gurdwara submerged, Maryam directed authorities to urgently drain floodwaters. She also ordered the activation of field hospitals, deployment of 1,000 mobile clinics, and ensured adequate vaccine supplies, prioritizing vulnerable groups such as women, children, and the elderly.
Maryam added that around 200 kilometers of roads had been damaged and called for the immediate restoration of temporary routes to maintain connectivity, while stressing the need for long-term infrastructure to maximize water storage and reduce wastage.
Federal Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal highlighted climate change as a pressing but manageable challenge if gaps in disaster response are addressed. He noted that stronger infrastructure helped neighboring India suffer less damage from similar floods.
Iqbal warned that village connectivity had been severely affected, requiring heavy machinery to restore access and medical coverage. He urged agriculture banks to provide concessional loans to flood-hit farmers to help them rebuild and achieve self-reliance.
Earlier, NDMA Chairman Lt. Gen. Inam Haider briefed the meeting on the overall flood situation in Punjab.
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