Salman Rafique warns of unprecedented floods as 28 districts reel from crisis

Punjab health minister Khawaja Salman Rafique has said that the province is facing an unprecedented flood crisis, with 28 districts across the province affected, 24NewsHD TV reported on Friday.

Speaking to the media at the Punjab Assembly, he stated that the Chief Minister is currently conducting visits to various affected districts to assess the situation.

The minister emphasized that the government had been closely monitoring all five rivers.

The minister explained that while Tarbela Dam has yet to reach full capacity and Mangla Dam continues to fill, the flow of the River Jhelum does not appear to pose an immediate threat.

However, he pointed out that the River Sutlej has emerged as a major concern after India released water without prior intimation, creating additional pressure downstream in Pakistan.

“The situation at the Sutlej will take some time to stabilize,” Rafique said, adding that forecasts suggest the next spell of rainfall may not bring heavy showers, which could help contain risks.

He added that as soon as authorities learned about the release of water from India, response teams were mobilized to take preventive measures.

Highlighting the scale of the crisis, the minister described the ongoing evacuations as the largest movement of people and livestock in Pakistan’s history.

He also disclosed that a controlled breach had been carried out at Ravi Safora to ease water pressure, stressing that the decision was taken in the best interest of affected areas.

Rafique stressed that the government remained vigilant and was committed to minimizing human and material losses through proactive flood management and coordinated relief operations.