Islamabad/Lahore, August 28, 2025: The devastating floods sweeping across Punjab have claimed at least 45 lives and left dozens missing, as Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif and Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif on Thursday visited the worst-hit districts to review rescue and relief operations.
According to official figures, 15 deaths were reported in Gujranwala Division alone — five in Sialkot, four in Gujrat, three in Narowal, two in Hafizabad, and one in Gujranwala city. The worst incident occurred in Sambrial (Sialkot), where five members of the same family drowned when their house collapsed. At least three people remain missing.
Elsewhere in Punjab, fatalities were also reported in Lahore, Sheikhupura, Nankana Sahib, Kasur, and Okara, while flood-related accidents in Faisalabad’s Tandlianwala tehsil left several injured. Local administrations warned that the death toll is likely to rise as many areas remain inaccessible and rescue teams continue to recover bodies from submerged villages.
The Punjab Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) confirmed that so far, more than 600,000 people have been affected, with 769 villages submerged and millions of acres of farmland destroyed. Over 150,000 residents and 35,000 livestock have been evacuated. Nearly 40,000 people have been shifted to safety in districts including Sialkot, Narowal, Kasur, Chiniot, Lahore, Bahawalnagar, and Bahawalpur.
PM Shehbaz and CM Maryam conducted an aerial survey of the flood-hit Narowal and Gujranwala regions after receiving a briefing from NDMA Chairman Lt. Gen. Inam Haider. The Prime Minister instructed authorities to take “all necessary measures” to accelerate evacuations and ensure urgent medical and food supplies for displaced families.
The Punjab government has established 263 relief camps and 161 medical camps, while Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz confirmed the release of Rs900 million for emergency relief. “Our foremost priority is to save every life, provide shelter and food, and rebuild livelihoods destroyed by this calamity,” she said.
The situation remains alarming as floodwaters from the Ravi, Chenab, and Sutlej rivers continue to rise:
- At Head Qadirabad on the Chenab, water inflow remains dangerously high at around 1.05 million cusecs, breaching embankments and inundating dozens of villages.
- At Shahdara on the Ravi, water flow surged past 151,000 cusecs and may cross 200,000 cusecs within hours.
- At Ganda Singh Wala on the Sutlej, flow has reached 261,000 cusecs, placing Kasur and Okara on high alert.
In Narowal, floodwaters entered the historic Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur, submerging its grounds. More than 150 Sikh pilgrims and staff trapped inside were rescued by emergency teams supervised by Federal Minister Ahsan Iqbal and provincial minister Ramesh Singh Arora. The Narowal–Shakargarh road has also been washed away over several kilometers, isolating dozens of villages.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) has reported that monsoon-related deaths in Pakistan this year are nearly three times higher than last year, underlining the severity of the disaster.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Finance confirmed postponement of the 11th meeting of the National Finance Commission (NFC) Award — earlier scheduled for Friday — citing the flood emergency and a request from the Sindh government. A new date will be announced later.
Officials have warned that with heavy inflows continuing, downstream districts could face fresh devastation in the coming days. Evacuations are ongoing, with mosque announcements and local administrations urging families in low-lying areas to move immediately to safer ground.
