ISLAMABAD/ LAHORE/SUKKUR: The Indian High Commission has alerted Pakistan’s Indus Water Commission again that the Sutlej River is facing dangerously high levels at Harike and Ferozepur, warning of additional water surges into Pakistan at a time when Punjab is already grappling with catastrophic floods.
Torrential rains coupled with overflowing Ravi, Sutlej, and Chenab rivers have devastated Punjab, submerging nearly 4,000 villages and affecting more than 3.8 million people. Millions of acres of crops have been destroyed, while widespread urban flooding in Gujrat paralysed life.
According to the Punjab Flood Forecasting Division, extremely high floods persist at Head Sidhnai, Ganda Singhwala, Head Khanki, Head Qadirabad, and Chiniot Bridge. Medium floods have been reported at Trimmu, Jassar, Islam, and Mailsi Siphon, while Guddu, Sukkur, Kotri, and Panjnad remain at low flood levels.
On the other hand, the Pakistan Meteorological Department has forecast intermittent heavy rains in Sindh between September 7 and 9, warning of urban flooding in Karachi and inundation of low-lying areas across multiple districts.
The system, currently a low-pressure storm over India’s Madhya Pradesh, is expected to move into Rajasthan by September 6 before entering Sindh and Punjab. From September 7 to 10, heavy downpours are likely in Tharparkar, Umerkot, Mirpurkhas, Sanghar, Khairpur, Shaheed Benazirabad, Hyderabad, Thatta, Badin, Sujawal, Sukkur, Larkana, Jacobabad, Shikarpur, Ghotki, and Karachi.
Rains are also forecast for parts of Balochistan, while in Punjab — including Islamabad and Rawalpindi — showers are expected from Sept 6 to 8. Authorities have cautioned that rainfall may worsen conditions in flood-affected districts and trigger overflowing of rain-fed rivers and canals.
The confluence of the Ravi and Chenab rivers near Khanewal has created a double threat for Multan and Muzaffargarh districts. Despite controlled breaches, officials warned the next 12 hours are “extremely critical”, with erosion points under mounting pressure.
In Kasur, a dangerous Sutlej flow of 319,000 cusecs engulfed more than 100 villages, wiping out 18,000 acres of farmland. Similar devastation was reported in Luddan, where breaches in protective bunds submerged settlements and swept away a government school. In Kabirwala, makeshift embankments gave way, flooding villages including Kund Sargana and Barbegi.
Urban flooding in Gujrat after a record 506mm of rainfall in 24 hours submerged the session court, government offices, shops, and residential areas. Nullah Bhandar and Nullah Bhimber overflowed, sweeping away houses, while mosque loudspeakers urged residents to move to higher ground.
Punjab Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) Director General Irfan Ali Kathia confirmed 46 deaths so far, adding that 1.5 million people have been rescued and over 1 million livestock relocated. He warned that once the Chenab’s surge of 900,000 cusecs reaches Sindh between Sept 6 and 7, the situation could deteriorate.
Crop losses across Punjab are staggering, with over 1.326 million acres destroyed. Faisalabad Division suffered the worst damage (323,215 acres), followed by Gujranwala (262,000 acres), Gujrat (238,000 acres), Bahawalpur (145,000 acres), Sahiwal (137,000 acres), and Lahore (99,421 acres).
Separately, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has issued a high alert for the Sutlej River after India’s Pong and Bhakra dams released heavy discharges, pushing flows at Ganda Singhwala to 335,591 cusecs. Downstream, high floods are expected at Sulemanki and Islam Headworks, threatening districts including Kasur, Okara, Pakpattan, Arifwala, Burewala, and Bahawalnagar.
Simultaneously, the Chenab River has entered a critical phase, endangering Multan and Muzaffargarh where water levels at Head Muhammadwala stood at 414.10 ft, just below the red danger mark of 417 ft. Nearly 700,000 cusecs are flowing through the river, submerging vast farmland and entire neighbourhoods, with stranded residents pleading for food and relief.
The NDMA’s National Emergencies Operation Centre has also warned of landslide risks in Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu & Kashmir (AJK) amid forecast heavy rains, particularly along the Karakoram Highway and vulnerable mountainous areas. Citizens have been advised to follow safety instructions, avoid unnecessary travel and stay updated through official alerts.
Multan Commissioner Amir Karim Khan told The News that the situation at Head Muhammadwala is under constant monitoring. He said a decision on breaching would be made by the technical committee based on water flow and intensity. Relief camps have been established, where three meals a day, shelter, and basic facilities are being provided.
As of Thursday evening, flood inflows at Head Muhammadwala continued to rise, with officials warning that the next 24 hours are critical for Multan, Muzaffargarh, and surrounding districts.
Meanwhile, an 11-member family was trapped when water levels in a branch of the River Chenab rose unexpectedly late at night. Rescue 1122 Multan’s SQ1-2 team responded swiftly and, despite dangerous conditions in darkness, safely evacuated all the victims along with their valuables. The rescued included men, women, and children aged between 2 and 32 years.
Meanwhile, PTI Central Secretary General Salman Akram Raja, while visiting flood-hit Khanpur village, said the devastation in Hafizabad district has left over 200 villages affected and 2.3 million people without basic facilities. He criticised federal ministers for conducting “mere photo sessions” and claimed government relief camps were lying empty.
Meanwhile, floodwaters inundated 84 villages across Vehari, Burewala, and Mailsi, affecting over 67,000 people. At least 47,380 acres of farmland and hundreds of rural homes have been destroyed. Two protective embankments collapsed in Burewala, submerging residential areas in Mouza Sharaf, Akbar Shah, and Fattuwala Chakkar.
Rescue teams have evacuated more than 63,000 people, shifted 40,000 livestock to safer areas, and distributed 70 tons of fodder along with ration packs. Health facilities have treated 1,685 victims, while 268 displaced persons are currently housed in 17 relief camps.
Also, torrential rains and flood risks forced authorities to transfer 170 inmates from Gujrat district jail after rainwater entered parts of the facility on Wednesday. Among them, 100 prisoners — including murder convicts and death-row inmates — were moved to Lahore, while 70 female inmates were relocated to Gujranwala Jail. Nearly 1,000 other prisoners previously housed in old barracks were shifted to newly built sections within the jail as a precaution. Officials said the step was aimed at preventing overcrowding in flood-prone areas of the prison complex.
Despite ongoing weather disruptions, about 1,500 prisoners remain in Gujrat jail, with emergency measures in place for further relocation if needed.
On the other hand, Jhang has emerged as the only district in Punjab simultaneously inundated by floodwaters from three major rivers — Chenab, Jhelum, and Ravi. The Chenab entered from Chiniot, submerging hundreds of villages in Tehsil Jhang before merging with the Jhelum at Trimmu Headworks. From there, the combined flow split at Bahu Bridge, impacting Garh Maharaja in Tehsil Ahmedpur Sial and several parts of Shorkot before moving downstream to Khanewal and Multan.
Ahmedpur Sial faces the most severe crisis as it is now battered by floodwaters from all three rivers. Localities including Samandu, Chak Nori Shah, Namdar Sial, Chadhar, Mouza Waga, and Char Yari have been badly hit, leaving hundreds trapped and in urgent need of relief.
Separately, General Officer Commanding (GOC), Gujranwala, Major General Tariq Mahmood, on Thursday visited flood-hit areas of Pirmahal tehsil along the Ravi River and met displaced families in relief camps.
Meanwhile, traffic between Kamalia and Chichawatni remained suspended for the fourth consecutive day after a breach caused by heavy river flows. Punjab Highway Department officials said engineering teams from Lahore were working to install a bailey bridge to restore connectivity.
Flood affectees at relief camps near Mai Safooran spur complained that outsiders were crowding their shelters to obtain meals and relief goods, adding pressure on available resources.
Meanwhile, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Thursday postponed by-elections in five National Assembly and four Punjab Assembly constituencies, originally scheduled for Sept 18 and October 5, citing widespread devastation caused by unprecedented floods.
The decision, taken during a commission meeting, followed a formal request from the Punjab government. The ECP noted that floods had washed away roads, bridges, and communication networks, while many government schools and buildings designated as polling stations were damaged. Relief and rescue operations have also engaged civil administration, law enforcement agencies, and polling staff, leaving them unavailable for election duties.
The postponed constituencies include:
National Assembly: NA-66 Wazirabad, NA-96 Faisalabad-II, NA-104 Faisalabad-X, NA-129 Lahore-XIII, NA-143 Sahiwal-III.
Punjab Assembly: PP-73 Sargodha-III, PP-87 Mianwali-III, PP-98 Faisalabad-I, PP-203 Sahiwal-VI.
Meanwhile, the United Kingdom (UK) on Thursday announced an additional £1.2 million in anticipatory flood response for the Sindh province. The funding brings the UK’s total humanitarian assistance to £2.53 million, giving over 400,000 people across Pakistan life-saving support, according to a statement issued by the British High Commission in Islamabad.
It said with floods predicted to hit Sindh imminently, the UK was acting swiftly, in support of the Pakistan government’s coordinated response, to help communities prepare before disaster strikes.
“The new £1.2 million funding is being deployed to NGOs in Sindh to enable early warning systems and community evacuations, identification of vulnerable households needing urgent support, pre-positioning of essential supplies and livestock protection, and preparation of evacuation centres,” it said.
The BHC said those measures were lifesaving, through seeking to protect communities before disaster hit. British High Commissioner Jane Marriott said Sindh was in a critical window to prepare and reduce the impact of the upcoming floods. “For every dollar spent on prevention, up to seven dollars are saved in response. More importantly, lives are saved, and destruction is avoided.”
Also, the UK has contributed to the Start Ready Disaster Risk Financing system in Pakistan. £500,000 has been released, reaching 20,000 people across the Punjab, Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces to anticipate and mitigate humanitarian impacts from future flooding.
