Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday emphasised the urgent need to accelerate the construction of water storage infrastructure to minimise the devastating impact of flash floods.
Shehbaz Calls for Immediate Action on Dams
Chairing a high-level meeting on the flood situation, he urged that work on reservoirs and dams begin without delay, stressing that “storage capacity is the need of the hour.”
The premier also underlined the importance of generating local resources to fund such projects, pointing out that reliance on external assistance would not be sustainable. He called for the rapid completion of ongoing projects, including Diamer Bhasha Dam, to safeguard communities from future disasters.
Praise for Relief Operations in Punjab
PM Shehbaz praised Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), Pakistan Army, and civil departments for their coordinated relief efforts. He noted that this sense of cooperation had helped reduce losses as floods moved from northern areas into Punjab’s plains.
He offered prayers for the victims and stressed the need for preparedness, recalling the devastation of the 2022 floods that primarily struck Sindh and Balochistan.
Maryam Nawaz Highlights Swift Rescue Efforts
Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz expressed grief over lives lost and crops destroyed, but emphasised that no casualties occurred due to negligence. She credited NDMA, PDMA, police, civil defence, and the army with rescuing over 50,000 people through effective early warnings and timely evacuations.
She further directed authorities to:
Drain floodwater from inundated areas, including religious sites.
Operate field hospitals and deploy 1,000 mobile clinics.
Ensure sufficient vaccines and prioritise women, children, and the elderly.
Restore damaged roads, with 200 km already affected.
Maryam reiterated that long-term water storage infrastructure was vital to prevent wastage and support sustainable rehabilitation.
Ahsan Iqbal Urges Stronger Climate Resilience
Federal Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal warned that Pakistan’s vulnerability to climate change demanded stronger disaster response systems. He noted that while Pakistan faced heavy losses, neighbouring India experienced comparatively less damage due to resilient infrastructure.
Iqbal stressed the urgent need to restore village connectivity with heavy machinery and urged agriculture banks to provide concessional loans to farmers, enabling them to rebuild livelihoods and achieve self-reliance.
NDMA Briefs on Overall Flood Situation
Earlier, NDMA Chairman Lt. General Inam Haider presented a comprehensive briefing on the flood situation in Punjab, outlining ongoing rescue, relief, and recovery measures.
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