BUNER – Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir on Wednesday visited flood-ravaged areas of Buner and Shangla to review the situation and meet victims.
They were received in Swat by Federal Minister Amir Muqam, while Federal Ministers Attaullah Tarar and Ahsan Iqbal accompanied the prime minister. The two leaders conducted an aerial survey of the affected districts and were briefed on ongoing rescue and relief operations.
PM Shehbaz met flood victims in Buner, distributed relief cheques, and assured them of complete government support. He vowed to utilise all resources for speedy rehabilitation and warned that encroachments, timber smuggling, and illegal mining in water channels had worsened the disaster. He announced strict legal action against those responsible for environmental damage and illegal activities.
Field Marshal Munir met with Pakistan Army, police, and civil administration personnel engaged in relief efforts and praised their dedication to serving the people.
Meanwhile, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, ISPR Director General Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, and NDMA Chairman Lt Gen Inam Haider briefed the media on relief operations.
The ISPR DG said that army troops, rescue teams, and Army Aviation were carrying out operations under Field Marshal Munir’s directions. Over 6,000 people have been provided medical aid, while doctors from medical battalions and CMHs have been deployed to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Ninety roads in KP were destroyed, but several bridges have been rebuilt, and rations are being delivered both by road and helicopter.
Information Minister Tarar reported that urban flooding caused severe loss of life and property. So far, 25,000 people have been shifted to safe areas, while 70% of KP’s damaged electricity supply has been restored. Relief efforts continue, including provision of tents, medical teams, and road restoration.
NDMA Chairman Lt Gen Inam Haider confirmed that since August 17, rains, glacier melting, and cloudbursts have caused 670 deaths and over 1,000 injuries, while 25,000 people have been rescued. He warned of another spell of heavy rainfall expected until August 23, adding that 50% of road restoration work has already been completed.
Later, the prime minister disbursed relief cheques among the victims of the recent torrential rains and floods.
Addressing the participants, the prime minister expressed deep sorrow over the destruction caused by recent cloudbursts and heavy rains in various parts of the country, and said that these natural calamities had resulted in loss of many lives and properties.
The prime minister mentioned that incidents of cloudbursts occurred in Swat, Buner, Shangla, and Swabi. In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) alone, around 350 people were martyred and hundreds of others sustained injuries, he said, adding that overall more than 700 people lost their lives due to rains and floods across the country.
Recalling the 2022 floods, he noted that hundreds of thousands of acres of crops were destroyed and countless homes were washed away in Sindh. At that time, the federal government announced Rs 100 billion in aid to support the victims and rebuild the affected areas.
He emphasized that today, with the support of all stakeholders, the government was fully committed to facing this new challenge. He said that he had issued clear instructions that roads and infrastructure must be repaired regardless of whether they fall under provincial or federal jurisdiction.
The prime minister said that the federal ministers were currently engaged in relief activities in KP. Additionally, the prime minister announced seven days of free electricity for those affected and directed immediate repairs of damaged road infrastructure.
