Rescue Operations in Flooded Punjab, Pakistan

Multan, Pakistan – Rescue teams in eastern Punjab reported the recovery of nine bodies on Thursday following a boat incident this week.

According to Musarrat Jabeen, the area’s chief government official, a boat carrying 20 individuals capsized in the swollen Indus River after heavy rains on Tuesday.

Initially, rescuers pulled five bodies from the water during a multi-hour effort. By Thursday morning, they had located four additional bodies, aided by divers from the Pakistani Army.

The deceased included women and children, Jabeen noted.

In a related event, five people lost their lives in Jalalpur Pilwara when the Chenabu and Stay rivers flooded the area due to water being released from Indian dams on Saturday.

Rescue teams are working to fortify the embankments in Jalalpur Pilwara to protect residents from further flooding.

Many locals are expressing frustration over the slow response to their calls for help, with some being forced to sleep in tents or on the roads.

Officials faced complaints regarding the lack of sufficient evacuation boats and concerns about high fares charged by private operators. In response, Punjab Cabinet Minister Mariyum Aurangzeb stated she was personally overseeing the rescue and relief efforts.

Just a day prior, Punjab Prime Minister Mariam Nawaz Sharif visited the impacted area, directing police to monitor civilian boat operations closely due to exorbitant fees being demanded from distressed families. On social media, she emphasized the need for stricter oversight after her visit.

Sharif also mentioned that the government has provided 100 boats equipped with life jackets and floodlights, in addition to four helicopters, to assist in evacuation efforts and compensate private owners.

According to committee member Nabil Javed, around 142,000 people have been affected by the floods in Jalalpur Pilwara and surrounding villages. Many have sought refuge with relatives, while others are staying at relief camps or on levees.

The Punjab Disaster Management Bureau has reported that since August 23, severe floods have impacted approximately 4,000 villages, displacing 2.1 million individuals and resulting in at least 68 fatalities.

Officials attribute the severity of the floods to unusually heavy monsoon rains and the repeated release of water from overflowing dams in India. Nationwide, over 900 flood-related deaths have been recorded since late June.