By Admin • Wed Aug 27 2025
LAHORE / ISLAMABAD, Aug 27: The Punjab government has requested military support in six districts as relentless rains and sudden water releases from Indian dams have triggered a dangerous flood emergency across the province.
According to the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), India has opened all gates of the Thein Dam on the Ravi River, followed by an alert regarding the Madhopur Dam. Both structures are located upstream in Indian Punjab and have sharply increased inflows into Pakistan, already struggling with monsoon downpours.
Heavy rainfall in the catchment areas of the Chenab and Sutlej rivers has compounded the situation. By early Wednesday, the Chenab at Head Marala and the Ravi at Head Jassar were declared to be in an “exceptionally high flood” state, recording flows of over 900,000 and 200,000 cusecs respectively. Officials fear the Ravi could cause widespread destruction since its downstream channels in Pakistan often remain dry for much of the year.
In Kasur alone, nearly 72 villages and more than 45,000 residents have been affected. The PDMA reported that 14,000 people and 17,000 animals have been shifted to safer areas, while 67 relief shelters, 38 health camps and 46 veterinary centres have been established. Rescue 1122 confirmed evacuating more than 28,000 citizens from Kasur, Okara, Pakpattan, Vehari and Bahawalnagar.
The Punjab Home Department stated that the army has been called in for Lahore, Faisalabad, Kasur, Sialkot, Narowal and Okara to reinforce civil authorities. Troops will coordinate with district administrations, police and Rescue 1122 teams in evacuation and protection efforts.
Meanwhile, National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) Chairman Lt Gen Inam Haider Malik warned lawmakers that next year’s monsoon could be up to 22 percent more intense. He revealed that almost half of Pakistan’s 7,500 glaciers are melting at an alarming pace, warning that unchecked melting could push the country toward drought-like conditions in the coming decades.
This year’s monsoon season has already claimed around 800 lives nationwide. The NDMA estimates flood-related damages at nearly $4 billion annually, while April 2025 was the hottest month in Pakistan’s history.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif reiterated that Pakistan cannot tackle the climate crisis without global assistance. Highlighting the devastation of the 2022 floods and the rising toll of extreme weather, he urged the international community to extend both financial and technical aid to help the country adapt and survive in the face of worsening climate change.