Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari on Monday said the flood situation in the province is worsening, with torrential rains and overflowing rivers wreaking havoc in southern Punjab. Speaking to the media in Lahore, Bokhari said flood victims are enduring severe hardships due to heavy rainfall and stagnant water. She added that the government has responded effectively to the disaster, and Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz is preparing to announce a major relief package.

Updating the scale of devastation, she said floods have so far claimed 60 lives across Punjab, while 4,335 villages and 4.2 million people have been directly affected. Nearly 1.86 million acres of agricultural land are under water, damaging crops and causing price hikes in vegetables and pulses. She added that 2.1 million people and 1.5 million livestock have been relocated to safer places. 

Azma Bokhari noted that dengue outbreaks have also been reported in flood-hit areas, prompting widespread fumigation drives. She urged citizens to cooperate with local administrations and avoid entering flood-affected zones without official clearance. She stressed that the intensity of the floods cannot be underestimated, saying, “Floods are not a spectacle or a source of amusement. The water flow is extremely dangerous, yet people are posting videos and treating it like entertainment.” 

The minister said emergency conditions had been declared in Khan Bela and Jalalpur, urging citizens to take the crisis seriously. She further appealed to the public to follow dengue prevention measures as the authorities intensify fumigation and relief operations.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)