Following instructions from Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the Punjab government announced it will soon begin a detailed survey to assess the damage from recent floods across the province’s 28 affected districts. This decision was made during a meeting led by Chief Secretary Zahid Akhtar Zaman at the Civil Secretariat on Wednesday. The meeting reviewed ongoing relief and rehabilitation efforts and evaluated the readiness of local administrations to distribute aid, restore infrastructure, and provide health services in the affected areas.
The chief secretary specifically directed that more tents and food supplies be sent to flood-hit communities in Uch Sharif. He instructed the Bahawalpur Deputy Commissioner (DC) to remain in the field and personally oversee the relief operations.
Zaman also stated that the upcoming survey would assess the loss of lives as well as damage to homes, crops, and livestock. To ensure the process is transparent and accurate, DCs have been instructed to personally supervise the survey in their respective districts.
The chief secretary further stressed the importance of draining stagnant floodwater quickly, preventing disease outbreaks, improving sanitation, and restoring road connectivity in the affected areas.
During the meeting, Punjab Relief Commissioner Nabeel Javed briefed attendees that more than 4,500 villages had been impacted by the recent floods. He added that over 2,000 teams are being mobilized for the assessment, and displaced families in Narowal, Sialkot, Chiniot, Jhang, Okara, Sahiwal, and Sargodha have started returning to their homes.
Meanwhile, water levels in the Sutlej River continued to rise, flooding low-lying areas in Multan, Bahawalpur, and Lodhran. The Noraja Bhutta dyke broke four days ago, submerging several union councils of Jalalpur Pirwala. To protect Jalalpur Pirwala city, the district administration conducted a controlled breach at Gillani Road, redirecting the water toward villages and unpaved areas.
Floodwaters damaged the Multan-Sukkur Motorway (M-5) at five different points, spreading into villages along the highway in Multan, Lodhran, and Bahawalpur districts. The Multan-Uch Sharif Motorway section has also been closed due to severe damage.
A spokesperson for the Multan district administration, Waseem Yousuf, told Dawn that while water levels in the Chenab River were falling, a major flood surge from the Sutlej was expected to reach Jalalpur within days, posing a threat to nearby villages in Lodhran and Bahawalpur.
Relief Commissioner Javed reported that 118 people had died in various flood-related incidents. He noted that the floods have affected 4.7 million people across 47,000 villages, with 2.6 million people and 2 million livestock evacuated. A total of 337 relief camps, 429 medical camps, and 368 veterinary camps have been established.
The National Highway Authority (NHA) stated that its teams are working around the clock to restore the damaged section of the M-5 Motorway near Jalalpur Pirwala. Temporary restoration of one carriageway has been completed, while permanent repairs continue.
