Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday visited flood-affected districts of Buner, Swat, Shangla and Swabi, taking an aerial view of the devastation caused by torrential rains and flash floods.
He was accompanied by Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Asim Munir and federal ministers Attaullah Tarar, Ahsan Iqbal and Amir Muqam.
PM meets victims, distributes relief checks
The PM met families affected by the disaster in Buner, offering condolences to those who lost loved ones and distributing relief checks among survivors.
“Every eye in Pakistan is in tears over this tragedy. More than 350 lives have been lost in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa alone, and over 700 nationwide,” he said, urging unity and patience in the face of the calamity. He added that clouds burst and took the form of an intense flood that carried boulders with it.
He assured victims that the federal government will provide all possible assistance without distinction between provincial or district infrastructure. “Pakistan is one home with four provinces; we are facing this challenge along with the chief minister of KP. We will mobilise every resource to restore roads, power, and communication networks,” he added.
"For a week, we will provide electricity everywhere, while feeders are being restored immediately," he said further.
Strict action against encroachments, unsafe construction
During the visit, PM Shehbaz criticized illegal encroachments, hotels built on riverbeds and unchecked mining activities that worsened the scale of destruction.
“There is no forgiveness for human negligence. Building hotels and houses in rivers is a man-made disaster. We will launch a movement to stop such construction around drains and waterways,” he announced.
COAS lauds rescue teams
COAS Asim Munir also met with troops, rescue workers, and civil administration personnel, praising their tireless service. He directed ground formations to continue relief operations with “utmost devotion” and to prioritise the safety of citizens.
Govt pledges nationwide recovery efforts
Shehbaz highlighted that ministers of power and communications were already present in affected districts and GB to restore electricity and repair roads. He also warned that two more monsoon spells are expected, urging preventive measures.
He expressed gratitude to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur and his government, the chief secretary, and the police chief. "Field Marshal Asim Munir is working day and night to fix the economy."
“We faced a similar crisis in 2022. Millions of acres of crops were destroyed in Sindh. At that time, the federation allocated Rs100 billion to provinces in addition to the relief funds. But this time we must ensure human responsibility is fulfilled alongside divine will. Pakistan has limited resources, but united efforts will help us overcome this challenge,” Shehbaz said.
The visit concluded with prayers for the victims and renewed pledges to accelerate recovery efforts.
