PM directs NDMA to step up flood relief operations in AJK, KP

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has directed the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) to step up relief operations in flood-and rain-affected areas of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said on Friday.

At least 189 people, including women and children, have been killed as deadly floods hit different parts of Malakand Division and adjoining areas in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) said on Friday, with Buner being the worst-affected district by the latest monsoon spell.

“The prime minister is fully aware of the flood situation and is issuing continuous directions for relief activities,” Tarar said.

He said the prime minister has instructed NDMA Chairman Lt Gen Inam Haider Malik to maintain constant coordination with the KP and AJK governments and expedite relief work. A special cell has been established at the prime minister’s House to remain in round-the-clock contact with the NDMA.

Tarar noted that Prime Minister Sharif has visited NDMA three times during the current spell of rains and flooding to personally review rescue and relief measures. “The government’s focus is on relief and rescue efforts,” he stressed, adding that all institutions are deploying their resources in KP, where around 40 people are reported missing.

Measures are being taken to protect human lives, he said, while NDMA’s early warning system is providing regular updates to KP and other provincial governments. The authority’s command and control centre is operating 24/7 to monitor the situation.

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Separately, Prime Minister Sharif chaired an emergency meeting to review the flood situation caused by recent rains across the country. NDMA Chairman Lt-Gen Inam Haider briefed him on the damage caused by cloudbursts and flash floods in the northern parts, as well as ongoing rescue and relief efforts.

The prime minister directed the NDMA to utilise all available resources, strengthen communication with the KP government, and ensure efficient delivery of tents, medicines, food, and other supplies. He ordered that relief goods be dispatched immediately by truck and that stranded residents and tourists be promptly moved to safe locations.

Sharif also spoke by phone with KP Governor Faisal Karim Kundi and Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, expressing sorrow over the loss of lives. He assured them that the NDMA had been instructed to extend all possible assistance and reaffirmed that the federal government would provide full support, including the immediate supply of medicines, tents, and food.

“In this difficult time, all sympathies and support are with the victims,” the prime minister said.