NAROWAL: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said that climate change is a major challenge and emphasized the urgent need to build new dams without wasting time.
Addressing a meeting in Narowal, he stated that after Gilgit-Baltistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab is now facing floods, with floodwaters flowing through the province’s rivers.
He appreciated the role of NDMA, Rescue 1122, and other agencies in relief efforts and expressed sorrow over the loss of lives due to the floods.
He added that the efforts of federal ministers, Narowal’s political leadership, civil administration, and the Pakistan Armed Forces are commendable. The effective early warning system helped minimize damage, he noted, and said Pakistan is among the countries most affected by climate change.
The prime minister emphasised that in the coming years, the challenges of climate change must be addressed, and rescue and disaster management agencies need to be more proactive.
“We must prepare without delay. We have the capacity to build several new small dams, increase water storage capacity, and utilize our resources effectively. If the federal and provincial governments work together, solutions can be found,” he said.
He recalled the 2022 disaster, which primarily affected Sindh and Balochistan, destroying millions of acres of cultivated crops.
Earlier, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz conducted an aerial survey of flood-affected areas to assess the situation.
NDMA Chairman Lieutenant General Inam Haider briefed the Prime Minister, reporting unusual conditions in the Chenab, Ravi, and Sutlej rivers. Severe flooding was occurring at Qadirabad and Khanki Barrages on the Chenab, potentially affecting Gujrat, Hafizabad, Pindi Bhattian, Sargodha, Mandi Bahauddin, Chiniot, and Jhang.
He added that the flood surge from the Ravi River could potentially impact Shahdara and Narowal.
25 DEAD AS FLOOD SITUATION WORSENS IN PUNJAB
Rivers Ravi, Chenab, and Sutlej have caused widespread devastation in Punjab after India released water due to heavy monsoon rainfalls killing 25 people with several missing.
At many places, rivers burst their banks on Thursday and water entered populated areas, including urban areas, and sweeping away standing crops on millions of acres of agricultural land. More than 600,000 people have been affected, hundreds of villages are underwater, and the extent of damage to infrastructure will only be known once the water recedes.
WATER RISING AT SHAHDARA
Continuous rise in water levels in the Ravi River at Shahdara has resulted in a high-level flood, with the water flow reaching 145,160 cusecs.
Meanwhile, Lahore commissioner stated that the situation in the Ravi River was under control. The river has a capacity of 250,000 cusecs. All departments, including the district administration, are fully prepared and remain on high alert. –Agencies
