PM Shehbaz Orders Comprehensive Assessment of Flood and Rain Losses

ISLAMABAD/LAHORE — September 17, 2025: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has directed federal and provincial authorities to conduct a detailed assessment of the devastation caused by recent rains and floods across Punjab and Sindh. The evaluation will cover human and financial losses, crop destruction, livestock damage, and infrastructure collapse, according to the PM Office.

Rehabilitation Strategy Hinges on Assessment

Chairing a high-level review meeting, the prime minister emphasized that a comprehensive rehabilitation strategy would only be possible after a full assessment. He urged all tiers of government to work in close coordination to restore affected communities and ensure relief reaches those in need.

“Accurate assessment is vital to rebuild livelihoods, restore infrastructure, and provide timely support to families who have lost everything,” Shehbaz remarked.

Punjab: Villages Submerged, Crops Destroyed

Weeks of torrential monsoon rains have left vast swathes of Punjab inundated:

• In Alipur, Khan Garh Doema, Seetpur, Latimarri, and Azmatpur, entire communities remain underwater.
• In Bahawalnagar’s Minchinabad, 15 villages are still cut off, with water levels between five and seven feet deep.
• Uch Sharif and Ahmadpur East reported widespread home collapses and thousands of acres of farmland submerged.
• Minchinabad alone saw 67 villages affected, impacting more than 56,000 people.
• In Chishtian, 47 villages were inundated.
• In Shujaabad’s Basti Soman, hundreds of homes were reduced to rubble.
• A section of the M-5 Motorway at Jalalpur Pirwala was forced to close after being overtaken by floodwaters.

The NDMA confirmed six deaths in Punjab over the past 24 hours — two each in Muzaffargarh, Chiniot, and Multan.

Sindh: Barrages Under Pressure, Embankments Breached

Floodwaters have surged downstream into Sindh, placing immense strain on key barrages:

• Guddu Barrage recorded inflows of nearly 595,000 cusecs, while Sukkur Barrage saw more than 508,000 cusecs.
• In Ghotki, cotton and sugarcane crops were destroyed after floodwaters struck the Ronti embankment.
• In Nowshero Feroze, the collapse of the Mahijo Bhan embankment submerged more than 50 villages.
• In Larkana’s Naudero, flood levels rose dangerously, overwhelming protective levees and submerging homes in Mitho Khoro village.

Officials warn that recovery will be slow, as floodwaters have not yet receded in many districts.

National Response Underway

The government has pledged immediate relief operations while longer-term rehabilitation efforts are planned. PM Shehbaz has assured that all resources will be mobilized to assist displaced families and restore livelihoods, particularly for farmers who have lost standing crops.

The disaster underscores the urgent need for stronger flood management systems, as Pakistan faces recurring climate-related challenges.

You May Like To Read: 

• New Auditor General Inherits Fallout From ‘Most Expensive Typo’
• Pakistan, Iran Eye $10bn Trade Goal Amid Growing Economic Ties
• 31 Terrorists Killed in Bannu, Lakki Marwat Operations; Five Security Men Martyred in Kech Blast