PM Shehbaz emphasises urgent need for water storage infrastructure to combat floods

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday underscored the urgent need to build more water storage infrastructure to minimise the devastating impact of flash floods and protect lives and livelihoods in the country.

Pakistan has for several weeks been battling monsoon rains, with more than 210,000 people displaced in Punjab, including 40,000 who left voluntarily after flood warnings since August 14.

The official death toll from the country’s floods since the start of the monsoon season in late June stood at 819 on Thursday, half of them in August.

Speaking at a high-level meeting to review the country’s flood situation, the prime minister highlighted that increasing storage capacity was crucial and stressed to begin work immediately, according to the PM Office.

“Storage capacity is the need of the hour, and without wasting any more time, we should start work in this regard,” he said.

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PM Shehbaz, stressing the importance of generating resources to fund the construction of dams and water reservoirs nationwide, said “we will have to generate the resources by ourselves”.

He also called for the speedy completion of ongoing projects including Diamir Bhasha Dam to safeguard against future disasters.

The prime minister noted that the floods initially struck the northern areas but were now wreaking havoc in Punjab’s plains. He offered prayers for those who lost their lives due to floods and torrential rains.

He praised the coordinated efforts of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), Pakistan Army, and other relevant civil departments for their dedicated work during rescue and relief operations. “This sense of cooperation between the Punjab government and relevant departments has helped minimised losses,” he added.

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Recalling floods in 2022, that primarily affected Sindh and Balochistan, PM Shehbaz warned that Pakistan remained one of the top ten countries most affected by climate change, making such disasters likely to recur in coming years. He urged all departments to enhance preparedness and adopt short-, medium-, and long-term strategies to confront future challenges through robust decision-making.

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz expressed deep sorrow over the loss of lives and damage to crops and infrastructure caused by the floods. She emphasised that no deaths occurred due to negligence or lack of coordination.

Maryam praised the NDMA, PDMA, police, civil defence, and the Pakistan Army for rescuing over 50,000 people and successfully executing timely evacuations through an effective early warning system. She also noted minimal livestock losses due to swift rescue efforts.

With parts of the Gurdwara completely inundated, the chief minister directed authorities to drain the water as soon as possible.

She said she had also ordered to activate field hospitals along with diverting 1,000 mobile clinics to flood-affected areas.

The chief minister also directed to ensure ample stock of vaccines and prioritized vulnerable populations such as women, children, and the elderly, in rescue operations.

She also highlighted that around 200 kilometers of roads had been damaged and ordered immediate restoration of temporary routes to maintain connectivity.

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She reiterated the necessity of infrastructure to store maximum water and minimize wastage, emphasizing long-term rehabilitation plans.

Federal Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal expressed concerns over climate change, stressing it was manageable if gaps in disaster response were identified and addressed. He noted that while Pakistan had suffered significant damage, neighboring India faced comparatively less impact due to stronger infrastructure.

Iqbal highlighted that connectivity of villages had been severely disrupted, and bulldozers and heavy machinery will be needed in the coming days to restore access routes and ensure medical coverage.

He emphasised rehabilitation efforts, urging agriculture banks to provide concessional loans to flood-affected farmers to help them rebuild and achieve self-reliance.

Earlier, Chairman NDMA Lt Gen Inam Haider presented a detailed briefing about the overall situation of the floods in Punjab.