Islamabad, August 18, 2025: The death toll from the devastating floods triggered by relentless monsoon rains has climbed to 660 across Pakistan, with widespread destruction reported from all provinces and regions.
According to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) has suffered the highest fatalities at 392, followed by Punjab with 164, Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) with 32, Sindh with 29, Balochistan with 20, Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) with 15, and Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) with eight. Among the victims were 394 men, 95 women, and 171 children. At least 935 people have been injured, most of them in Punjab (582).
The NDMA reported significant housing losses, with 2,478 homes damaged nationwide. K-P accounted for 712 destroyed or damaged houses, while GB lost nearly 600 homes and AJK reported more than 700. Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan, and ICT also reported substantial damage.
Heavy downpours in Punjab submerged low-lying areas of Chakwal and Kallar Kahar, tripping several power feeders, while schools in Khushab were flooded. In Rajanpur, floods from the Koh Suleman range inundated villages as rising Indus River levels forced evacuations. Authorities warned of a major flood wave approaching Dera Ghazi Khan.
In AJK, a lecturer at Poonch University, Dr. Gul Lala, was swept away in her car by strong currents in Nala Tarar, while five people died in Neelum Valley after a car plunged into the river. Search and rescue operations remain hampered by heavy rains.
K-P Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur announced donations from government salaries, including one month’s pay from himself, 15 days from ministers, and scaled contributions from lawmakers and civil servants. He said a special Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) account would ensure transparency, with details shared publicly.
The federal government has also mobilised efforts. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif pledged the full support of the centre, announcing that the federal cabinet would donate one month’s salary to flood relief. Chairing a review meeting, he directed federal institutions to intensify rescue operations in K-P, GB, and AJK. “In this hour of calamity, there is no federal or provincial government — helping our distressed Pakistani brothers and sisters is our national responsibility,” he said.
Federal ministers have been ordered to reach the affected areas within 24 hours. Climate Change Minister Musadik Malik vowed to reopen blocked roads within a day, while Information Minister Attaullah Tarar declared rehabilitation of flood victims a “national duty.”
