The flood waters continuing to flood the expanses of Punjab and beyond, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif directed the Ministry of Climate Change and Environmental Coordination on Friday to start the preparations for the 2026 monsoon season and submit an action plan on climate resilience, within two weeks.
Chairing a high -level review meeting at the Prime Minister’s office, Shehbaz called for a coordinated and future -focused response to the country’s growing climatic vulnerabilities, stressing that the rehabilitation of the communities affected by the floods was now a “ national priority ”.
“The regions prone to floods, in particular the banned southern banks, must be fully prepared,” he said, stressing the importance of real-time surveillance of evacuation and rescue efforts. The Prime Minister also asked the training of a special committee to ensure that financial aid reaches the victims of the floods, and not currently registered with Nadra.
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The officials informed the meeting about the scope of the recent devastation, noting that the water levels in the Ravi, Sutlej and Chenab rivers went to parts of the central Punjab and the South and were on the way to Panjnad. Preparations had been made to manage flows of up to 1.2 million Cusecases, although the real volumes have now been estimated at around half of this – around 600,000 brackets.
In Multan, joint efforts from the civil administration, military units and rescue teams were underway to manage the passage of flood waters and protect vulnerable embankments.
Catering work through the energy sector has experienced notable progress, 80% of damaged electrical infrastructure in the northern and central areas now operational. Roads and critical bridges have also been repaired, restaurants mobility and allowing relief convoys to reach affected communities.
To date, more than two million residents have been evacuated to areas subject to floods, while more than 4,100 stranded people have been saved from the isolated areas. The federal government has sent 6,300 tonnes of emergency products, while more than 2,400 medical camps have been created to provide immediate health support.
The Prime Minister welcomed the coordinated response from the national and provincial disasters, armed forces and other front line agencies. He stressed that climate -oriented disasters required more than reactive responses. “We have to go beyond short-term relief and focus on structural resilience. The growing intensity and frequency of precipitation requires nothing less,” he said.
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The compensation disbursements for the deceased, the injured and those who have loss of goods are currently underway, Nadra supervising the verification process. Priority is given to the most affected households.
The chief secretaries of the four provinces, as well as the Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu-et-Cachemire, joined the meeting via the video link to present detailed updates of their respective regions.
Federal ministers such as Hed Khan Cheema, Attaullah Tarar and Sardar Awais Leghari, senior officials of NDMA, Nadra and other federal departments, attended the meeting.
