Published on: August 18, 2025 5:39 AM
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday ordered federal ministers to supervise relief operations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa after flash floods left 314 people dead and 156 injured, along with severe damage to infrastructure.
The KP government declared an emergency on Saturday as torrential rains ravaged homes, displaced families, and left a trail of destruction across Buner, Swat, Shangla, Mansehra, and beyond, with authorities warning that dozens of victims may still be trapped under debris.
According to state-run Radio Pakistan, additional relief goods are being dispatched to the flood-affected areas on the directives of PM Shehbaz, who is personally monitoring the relief operations of the National Disaster Management Authority in all flood-affected districts of KP.
“Teams of federal Ministers, on the instructions of the prime minister will participate in the relief operations in the flood-affected areas,” Radio Pakistan reported.
Federal Minister for Gilgit Baltistan and Kashmir Affairs and States and Frontier Regions, Amir Muqam will supervise the distribution of relief goods in districts Shangla and Buner.
Minister for Power Division Awais Leghari will look after activities in Buner, and Minister for Religious Affairs Sardar Yousaf will oversee operations in Mansehra. Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Mubarak Zeb will supervise relief distribution activities in Bajaur.
“Additional trucks carrying relief goods are being sent to the affected districts under the Prime Minister’s Relief Package,” Radio Pakistan reported. “The relief goods include ration, tents, and medicines, which are being district administrations.”
PM Shehbaz directed the NDMA chairman to stay in constant contact with the disaster management authorities of the provinces and Gilgit-Baltistan for better and coordinated relief efforts.
The PDMA completed its delivery of aid and relief packages later today, having successfully sent 89 trucks to Buner, Bajaur, Swat and Shangla.
The authority added that it released Rs800 million for the affected districts, with Rs500m of that sum released to Buner to compensate affected families.
“Clear instructions have been issued to the deputy commissioners to provide financial assistance to the affected families as soon as possible,” the statement added. “PDMA has also ensured that there is no hindrance during the relief operations.”
Meanwhile, focal persons were posted at the Provincial Emergency Operation Centre to ensure the timely exchange of information and effective coordination between institutions.
The PDMA director general was quoted as saying that the authority is ready at all times to provide aid.
Meanwhile, PTV News reported that under the orders of the army chief, the Pakistan Army has started distributing rations to people in areas affected by flooding.
Earlier in the day, the KP PDMA released an update on the death and injury toll across the province, as well as damage to infrastructure and loss of cattle
Buner district alone has accounted for 209 deaths and 120 injuries, according to the report, with 36 dead and 21 injured in Shangla.
Mansehra recorded a total of 24 deaths and five injuries, with a similar toll of 21 deaths and five injuries in Bajaur.
According to the PDMA report, 16 men died in Swat while two were injured. Meanwhile, in Lower Dir, five people died due to thunder strikes and roof collapse, with three people injured. Thunder strikes also killed three people in Battagram.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur has said that the government will relocate people who are in flood-prone areas and also provide them with houses.
Addressing the media in Swat, he said, “We will provide them (flood victims) with houses, but will request them to move to safer areas and will establish new settlements as well.”
The Punjab PDMA has ordered that tourists be restricted from travelling to Murree and other “disaster-vulnerable areas in view of the ongoing surge in monsoon activities, particularly in mountainous regions.”
A letter in this regard was sent from the Punjab Board of Revenue to the secretary to the Government of Punjab, Tourism Department, the Rawalpindi Division Commissioner and the Murree Deputy Commissioner.
The government authority asked to restrict tourist entry to vulnerable and hazard-prone sites until the current monsoon spell subsides, as well as to coordinate with law enforcement agencies for restrictions under Section 144, wherever required.
The authority also asked to ensure wide public awareness through electronic, print and social media regarding safety advisories.
Meanwhile, the Lower Dir district administration, on the orders of the KP government, distributed compensation cheques to the heirs of the five people who died in a roof collapse incident due to rain in Maidan area’s Suri Pao village.
The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has warned of more intense torrential rains across the country commencing from Sunday.
“Strong monsoon currents from the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal are continuously penetrating into the country. Low Pressure System (LPA) over the Bay of Bengal is likely to move westward from August 17 and intensify this monsoon activity,” the Met Office said in a statement.
Also, a westerly wave was present over the country under the influence of these meteorological conditions, it added.
Widespread rain-wind/thundershowers (with scattered heavy falls at times very heavy) are expected in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Dir, Chitral, Swat, Kohistan, Shangla, Battagram, Mansehra, Abbottabad, Haripur, Buner, Malakand, Bajaur, Mohmand, Kohat and Peshawar.
Heavy downpour is likely in Charsadda, Nowshera, Mardan, Swabi, Khyber, Orakzai, Kurram, Hangu, Karak, Bannu, Lakki Marwat, Waziristan, Tank and Dera Ismail Khan till August 19 (Tuesday).
