Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, despite his busy official schedule in Beijing, reviewed the flood situation in Pakistan and the progress of ongoing rescue and relief operations through a high-level meeting Tuesday, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.
Chairing the session, the Prime Minister was briefed by the Chairman of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), chief secretaries of Punjab, Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, as well as other relevant institutions. The officials informed him about the recent flood situation caused by heavy monsoon rains, the displacement of families, and measures underway to provide relief in the worst-hit areas.
The Prime Minister directed the National Highway Authority (NHA) and the Ministry of Energy to prioritise the restoration of flood-damaged road networks and power transmission systems. He further instructed federal and provincial governments, along with all concerned agencies, to continue working in full coordination to relocate affected families to safer places and restore infrastructure.
Special focus, he stressed, must be placed on Punjab and Sindh, where floodwaters from the Ravi, Chenab and Sutlej rivers have created critical situations. The Prime Minister ordered the NDMA to maintain close contact with provincial disaster management authorities and extend all possible assistance to provincial governments. He also called for the search for missing citizens to be expedited and completed at the earliest.
Briefings during the meeting highlighted that floods in Punjab and Sindh are being continuously monitored, with regulation of dams and barrages underway to manage the flow of water. Severe flooding is expected at Panjnad following the arrival of floodwaters from the Ravi, Chenab and Sutlej rivers. This flood surge is anticipated to reach Guddu Barrage in Sindh by September 6, where preparations and monitoring are in progress. The NDMA is working closely with the Sindh government to put appropriate arrangements in place.
Authorities reported that Rescue 1122, the Pakistan Army, Rangers, non-governmental organisations, and provincial disaster management teams are all actively engaged in relief operations. Convoys carrying relief supplies are being dispatched continuously, while restoration work on power supply systems in affected regions is also underway.
The meeting in Beijing was attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Muhammad Ishaq Dar, Interior Minister Syed Mohsin Raza Naqvi, and Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar. The NDMA Chairman and senior officials from relevant institutions joined via video link from Pakistan.