Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday underscored the urgent need for constructing new water reservoirs, terming them essential to deal with recurring flood situations and climate change challenges.
The prime minister visited the flood-affected areas of Narowal, where he received a briefing on the situation. He said that short-, medium- and long-term policies must be formulated to mitigate the impact of natural disasters.
"Teamwork is key to combating disasters like floods," Prime Minister Shehbaz stressed after receiving the briefing. He noted that an early warning system had significantly minimised losses.
He said Pakistan was among the 10 countries most vulnerable to climate change. "After Gilgit-Baltistan and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab is now facing heavy rains and floods," he said, expressing sorrow over the loss of lives.
He lauded the role of federal ministers, the Pakistan Army, civil administration, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), Rescue 1122, political leadership, and other institutions for their timely efforts.
He noted that helicopters and boats had been arranged to aid rescue operations. "The institutions responsible for rescue and disaster management must be further strengthened," he added.
Recalling the devastation of the 2022 floods, he said Sindh, Balochistan, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, and South Punjab faced massive destruction, with millions of acres of crops destroyed and the economy suffering losses worth billions of dollars.
The prime minister warned that such climate-related challenges would persist in the future, stressing the importance of coordinated efforts between the federation and provinces.
Highlighting the importance of water storage, Shehbaz said without increasing storage capacity, all other efforts would remain incomplete. He called for the speedy construction of Bhasha and Mohmand dams.
Simultaneously, the prime minister stressed the need for exploring water storage options in Chiniot and northern areas through small dams. "Major projects take years to complete," he said, urging immediate initiation of work.
The prime minister also welcomed Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif's announcement of immediate compensation for farmers who lost their crops, along with assurances of relief for households affected by the floods.
He praised the Punjab government, the NDMA, and the Pakistan Army for their relief efforts, including the safe evacuation of pilgrims from Gurdwara Kartarpur despite difficult weather conditions.
Speaking on the occasion, Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz said that Narowal was among the worst-hit areas, with monsoon rains of such duration not seen in the past 40 years.
She said that Punjab's administration and rescue agencies acted promptly, with over 1,000 field clinics set up and arrangements made for livestock feed and water. She stressed the importance of building infrastructure to manage and store water.
Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal called for faster and better-coordinated rescue and relief efforts, immediate restoration of roads, and declaring Narowal a disaster-hit area.
NDMA Chairman Lt Gen. Inam Haider Malik briefed the prime minister that extraordinary rainfall in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) and Sialkot region caused flooding in rivers.
He informed that a surge of 1 million cusecs water was recorded at Khanki and Qadirabad. "While western rivers are flowing normally, eastern rivers are facing flood conditions with heavy flow at Head Ganda Singh Wala," he said.
(WITH INPUT FROM APP)
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