Jalalpur Pirwala: Where floodwaters linger, so do lives

LAHORE:

Weeks after the deluge first struck, villages in Jalalpur Pirwala, Multan district, remain marooned by floodwaters. Hundreds of houses have collapsed into rubble while thousands of acres of crops lie ruined. Wheat and rice fields are rotting, mud homes have crumbled, and displaced families, stripped of shelter, are now surviving in tents.

Local elder Muhammad Jameel recalled how his home and grain stores were swallowed by the waters: "All the food we saved after years of toil has been ruined." Another villager, Taj Din, his eyes brimming with tears, said: "We will rebuild our houses, but for God's sake, someone must drain this water. It has swept away our lifetime's savings, our dreams, everything." Their stories echo the plight of thousands who remain exposed under the open sky.

New Lives in Tent Settlements

Amidst this devastation, new hope has emerged. In one tent settlement, Muhammad Asghar's wife gave birth to a baby girl, named Ayesha. Asghar, a daily wage worker with two wives, explained that his other wife, who lives in Alipur, is also expecting a child in the coming weeks. With Ayesha's birth, his family has now grown to thirteen children — four sons and nine daughters. "On one hand we are facing hardship due to the floods, but on the other, Allah has blessed us with His mercy," he said.

According to Dr. Zafar Cheema, who is serving in the camps, nine babies have been born so far, including one inside a tent where both mother and child survived safely. "At present, there are 18 pregnant women in three camps who are expected to deliver in the coming weeks," he said. A female doctor has been deputed for regular check-ups, and ultrasound facilities have been arranged. Expectant mothers will be shifted to private or public hospitals for delivery when needed.

Yet, for many women, the greatest difficulty remains sanitation. "We do have basic supplies, but the shortage of washrooms and even soap makes life unbearable," said Razia Bibi, a camp resident. Organizers provide soap, she noted, but it is rarely available inside washrooms.

A Man Living in a Tree

The floods have also revealed scenes of extraordinary resilience. Hajji Rasool Bakhsh, a local resident, spent two weeks perched on a tree in his courtyard, balancing on wooden planks. He explained that while his family was evacuated, he chose to stay behind to guard his home from looters - a common threat in the riverine areas. "Every family has left at least one or two men behind to protect their belongings," he said.

Spirit of Service from Aid Groups

While the floods washed away homes and crops, they also stirred remarkable humanitarian efforts. The Pakistan Markazi Muslim League (PMML) has established eight tent villages, housing over 10,000 people. Residents are provided with three meals a day, solar panels, fans, and mosquito nets.

According to PMML spokesperson Muhammad Tabish Qayyum, "Our journey continues from rescue to relief, and from relief to rehabilitation." He said that over 500 volunteers from Lahore, Faisalabad, and Karachi are helping families clean and restore their homes. Temporary schools for children have been set up, and medical camps staffed by doctors operate around the clock.

Villagers face ruin and resilience as new lives begin in tentsThe Punjab Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) reports that water levels in rivers are gradually receding, though the scale of destruction remains vast. Official figures show that 27 districts of Punjab were directly affected, with over 4,700 villages inundated and nearly 4.7 million people impacted. More than 2.6 million were evacuated to safety.

Authorities have established 271 relief camps and 300 medical camps, while 283 veterinary camps have relocated over 2.1 million livestock to higher ground. The floods have claimed 134 lives, with many others injured. Relief Commissioner Nabeel Javed confirmed that damage assessments began on September 24 and promised compensation for victims through a transparent and simplified process.

Grievances and Gaps

Despite these measures, many residents remain dissatisfied. Families complain that while food parcels - often boxes of biryani - are distributed at government camps, there is little provision for fans, mosquito nets, or proper sanitation. Heat and humidity have triggered outbreaks of illness. Disorganized aid distribution has also led to duplication, with some families registering in both government and private camps to collect supplies multiple times, while other needy households remain excluded. Experts argue that a unified system is urgently needed to ensure fair and efficient delivery of relief.

A Ray of Hope

Though the floods have shattered homes and livelihoods, they have not extinguished human resilience. The birth of baby Ayesha in a tent, the tireless work of volunteers, and the determination of affected villagers all point to a future where life will slowly return. The real challenge now is not just draining floodwaters but rebuilding broken lives. True recovery, observers stress, will only be possible if the government, civil society, and communities stand together.