Floods remain among the most devastating natural disasters in Pakistan. This year, the Rivers Chenab, Ravi and Sutlej in Punjab surged after unusually heavy monsoon rains and upstream releases from dams. The floodwaters carved a destructive path through districts Sialkot, Lahore, Kasur, Jhang, Chiniot, Multan, Bahawalpur, Dera Ghazi Khan, Rajanpur, Muzaffargarh and Kot Addu, submerging thousands of villages, washing away crops, demolishing homes, and displacing millions.
The recent floods have tested Punjab’s resilience but also highlighted the strength of unity and leadership. Under Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, with federal support, armed forces, and civil society, relief has swiftly reached thousands.
Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif and her cabinet members have been sweating their blood, working day and night, visiting affected areas, monitoring relief operations, and ensuring provincial institutions remain active around the clock. Punjab Police, Rescue 1122, Civil Defence, PDMA, the Pakistan Army and Navy, health services, local administrations and numerous NGOs are working shoulder-to-shoulder to save lives and restore order.
History shows brave nations face calamities with courage; floods leave destruction, but eventually pass. What endures is the resilience of the people, who rise again stronger. That same optimism guides Punjab today, where coordinated relief and public resolve are laying the foundations for recovery and renewal.
Central relief camps: on-ground leadership
At the Nawaz Sharif School of Eminence in Jalalpur Pirwala, a central flood relief camp was established under the directives of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif and the supervision of Senior Minister Maryam Aurangzeb. Seven hundred tents have been installed, with 1,000 more in reserve for emergencies. So far, 6,500 flood-affected individuals have been registered.
Punjab became the first province in the country to deploy drones for both airlifting stranded people and delivering food, medicine, and relief supplies to inaccessible areas.
To ensure well-being, breakfast, lunch, and dinner are served daily, with special arrangements for children’s milk. Medical camps treat about 250 patients each day, while a continuous supply of clean drinking water is maintained. Facilities also shelter 250 animals with adequate fodder, reflecting a holistic approach to both human and livestock survival.
Continuing her on-ground leadership, Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz visited Tehsil Alipur of Muzaffargarh, where she was briefed on relief activities. She inspected the camp at Government High School Alipur, distributed food among victims, and inquired about facilities. The chief minister interacted with children, consoled women, and assured compensation for losses. On this occasion, relief cheques were also distributed among families of those who lost loved ones during the floods.
Prime Minister’s relief package
Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif announced a comprehensive relief package for flood-affected communities, acknowledging the immense human and financial losses caused by torrential rains. As an immediate measure, domestic consumers in affected regions will be exempted from August electricity bills, with the federal government bearing the cost, while damages to commercial and industrial sectors are being assessed for compensation. Emphasising that supporting flood victims is a national responsibility, the Prime Minister vowed that the government will not rest until displaced families are rehabilitated and able to return to their homes.
Rescue and recovery: a race against time
Rescue operations in flood-hit districts and suburbs have been extraordinary, with boats, helicopters, and relief camps saving thousands from rising waters. Punjab became the first province in the country to deploy drones for both airlifting stranded people and delivering food, medicine, and relief supplies to inaccessible areas. With a capacity of up to 200 kg, these drones mark a groundbreaking step in modern disaster response. This innovation, credited to the vision of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, has accelerated rescue efforts and set a new precedent for disaster management, safeguarding the lives and dignity of affected communities.
Yet the scale of displacement remains vast. Families in temporary shelters continue to face uncertainty, requiring both immediate support and long-term rehabilitation. The Punjab Government has announced an ambitious recovery plan of Rs500 billion that aims to compensate people for their losses and rebuild infrastructure.
Food security and malnutrition: an emerging crisis
When fields drown, food security drowns with them. Southern Punjab is a major producer of staple crops, and its devastation results in price hikes that hurt both urban and rural populations. Children are especially vulnerable: UNICEF reports that major floods consistently highlight rising malnutrition, stunting, and wasting among children in relief camps. While the distribution of food packs and nutritional supplements is ongoing, systemic solutions are required, particularly resilient agriculture, seed banks, and storage facilities to safeguard supplies against disasters.
Health: the silent epidemic after floods
Floodwaters are a breeding ground for disease. Outbreaks of diarrhoea, malaria, skin infections, and dengue are reported almost immediately after inundations. Rural health centres and basic health units, often themselves damaged by water, struggle to cope with the sudden influx of patients. The Punjab Government’s mobile clinics and vaccination drives are important steps, but continuity is critical. Moreover, the mental health of displaced families, particularly children, requires urgent attention as trauma from displacement and loss often goes unnoticed.
Agriculture and livestock: backbone under stress
Punjab’s economy relies heavily on agriculture, with southern Punjab being one of the most fertile belts. Recent floods washed away standing crops of cotton, rice, maize, and sugarcane, destroying farmers’ income and causing a ripple effect on national food supplies. Waterlogging and the deposition of silt will harm soil fertility, reducing yields for future seasons.
The Punjab Government has announced an ambitious recovery plan of Rs500 billion that aims to compensate people for their losses and rebuild infrastructure.
At the same time, livestock – a vital source of milk, meat, and household income – suffered due to drowning, lack of fodder, and disease outbreaks. The Punjab government has promised compensation of Rs50,000 to Rs500,000 per animal for families who lost livestock, and Rs20,000 per acre to farmers who lost their crops.
Education: schools turned into shelters
In flood-affected areas, schools double as relief camps, halting the education process for thousands of children. Damaged buildings, destroyed textbooks, and the psychological strain on students and teachers deepen the crisis. Emergency education programmes and temporary classrooms are needed to prevent an entire academic year from being lost. Investment in flood-resilient school infrastructure should become a provincial priority.
Housing and infrastructure: rebuilding lives and roads
Perhaps the most visible damage from floods is the destruction of homes, bridges, and roads. Most of Punjab’s rural population lives in vulnerable mud houses that collapse within hours of flooding. Displaced families struggle for months in makeshift shelters, depending on government and donor aid. At the same time, the destruction of roads and bridges cuts off relief supplies and stalls economic activity. Repair and reconstruction must go beyond patchwork, adopting the principle of build back better, with climate-resilient materials and designs that can withstand future floods.
The way forward: policy suggestions for a safer Punjab
A comprehensive flood management strategy requires a multi-pronged approach. Unchecked housing schemes in river belts and flood routes greatly increase damage, so curbing illegal encroachments through strict laws and firm enforcement must be the priority. Building new dams and reservoirs remains a highly effective step to regulate floods, store water for irrigation, and generate power, ensuring long-term water security. At the same time, Punjab’s canal system must be expanded, desilted, and modernised to improve water distribution and reduce pressure on vulnerable regions. Reconstruction of damaged infrastructure should follow climate-resilient designs so that roads, bridges, schools, and hospitals can withstand future disasters. Community preparedness is another critical pillar; by training locals, forming response teams, and deploying mobile-based early warning systems, countless lives can be saved. Finally, innovative flood-diversion canals toward the Thal and Cholistan deserts could not only mitigate damage but also help turn barren lands into fertile agricultural zones.
The writer, who holds an M.Phil in English Literature, is an educationist, crime analyst, and youth commentator affiliated with PML-N.
