Lahore/Sindh, September 5, 2025: Punjab’s flood crisis deepened today as the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) issued a high-level warning in response to India’s notification about escalating water releases into the Sutlej River—raising the specter of renewed flooding across eastern Pakistan.
The Indian High Commission informed Pakistan of extreme flood risk at two key points—Harike and Ferozepur—on the Sutlej, bypassing the formal Indus Water Commission route, infuriating Islamabad as a breach of the Indus Waters Treaty
PDMA Punjab Director General Irfan Ali Kathia activated emergency protocols, placing civil administration, the army, and related agencies on full alert. Authorities are reinforcing embankments and preparing evacuations, with the directive that “the protection of life and property…should be ensured at all costs”.
The province is bracing for more monsoon rain through September 9, adding to already perilous conditions. Current river flows are reported as follows:
- Chenab River: Marala 115 k cusecs; Khanki 205 k; Qadirabad 266 k; Trimmu 331 k
- Ravi River: Jassar 73 k; Shahdara 112 k; Balloki 144 k; Sidhnai 122 k
- Sutlej River: Ganda Singh Wala 319 k; Sulemanki 142 k; Panjnad Headworks 310 k
The PDMA reports that over 3.9 million people have been impacted, with more than 1.8 million evacuated so far. The human cost stands at 49 confirmed deaths in Punjab, as thousands of villages submerge. Southern Sindh is also on high alert, with 100,000 residents evacuated in anticipation of downstream flood surges.
This calamity ranks among the worst since the 2022 deluge. Punjab alone has suffered nearly 2 million displaced people, 1.3 million acres of farmland flooded, and widespread agricultural disruption. Unprecedented rescue operations are now underway, with military involvement in transporting residents and livestock.
As the water continues to rise, engagement between Pakistan and international donors continues—most notably $3.4 million pledged by the UK for humanitarian assistance in preparation for worsening conditions in Sindh. On the Indian side, there are renewed calls for reconstructing and reinforcing embankments, citing failures due to illegal mining and aging infrastructure
