Islamabad, August 18, 2025(Kamran Raja): Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has announced that the Federal Cabinet will donate one month’s salary to support the flood-affected people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Chairing a high-level meeting to review ongoing relief and rehabilitation efforts in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan, and Azad Jammu & Kashmir, the Prime Minister directed federal institutions to intensify their support for the affected communities.
“In this difficult hour, there is no federal or provincial government – we are one nation and must ensure full support and rehabilitation of the affected people,” said the Prime Minister.
He emphasized that helping the distressed brothers and sisters was a national duty, adding:
“This is not a time for politics but a time for service and for healing the pain of the people.”
The Prime Minister announced that, in addition to compensation for the deceased, the affected families would also receive financial assistance under the Prime Minister’s Relief Package.
He further directed:
The Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan will oversee the distribution of relief goods and rehabilitation operations in the affected areas.
Relevant federal ministers will personally monitor the restoration of electricity, water supply, roads, and other basic facilities.
All federal ministers concerned must visit Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Azad Kashmir, and Gilgit-Baltistan themselves.
The National Highway Authority (NHA) must prioritize reopening routes for relief access, without distinction between provincial or national roads.
The Ministry of Communications, NHA, and FWO should ensure the repair of roads and bridges; the Federal Minister for Communications will personally monitor restoration operations on-site.
The Federal Minister for Power has been directed to visit the affected areas and ensure early restoration of electricity.
NDMA must immediately present a final assessment of damages and submit a comprehensive plan for relief distribution in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The Ministry of Finance has been instructed to provide NDMA with the required resources without delay.
The Ministry of Health will deploy doctors, medicines, and mobile medical teams and establish health camps in the affected regions.
The Benazir Income Support Programme will also be mobilized to assist affected families.
The Prime Minister further instructed that federal ministers remain in the affected areas until the last person has been assisted and the basic infrastructure restored.
The meeting also offered prayers for the elevation of the ranks of those who lost their lives and for the early recovery of the injured.
The meeting was briefed by NDMA and federal ministers assigned by the Prime Minister regarding the relief operations. It was informed that so far:
456 relief camps have been established.
400 rescue operations have been carried out by federal and provincial governments, Pakistan Army, and other institutions.
Aid trucks carrying relief goods continue to reach the affected districts, with priority given to the hardest-hit areas.
Preliminary estimates suggest damages exceeding PKR 126 million to public and private property.
NDMA has been providing food rations, tents, medicines, medical teams, and other essential supplies. The Prime Minister directed further enhancement of relief supplies.
The meeting was also informed that the monsoon season will continue until the second week of September. While six major spells have already occurred, two more are expected, with effects likely to last until the end of September.
Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan Engineer Amir Muqam gave a briefing on Swat; Federal Minister for Power Sardar Awais Khan Leghari on Khyber Pakhtunkhwa; SAPM Mubarak Zeb on Bajaur; NHA Chairman on Malakand; and the Secretary of Communications on Gilgit. Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Sardar Muhammad Yousaf, Minister for Water Resources Mian Muhammad Moeen Wattoo, Dr. Musadik Malik, and others also apprised the Prime Minister of progress on relief efforts.
The meeting was attended by Federal Ministers Khawaja Asif, Ahsan Iqbal, Musadik Masood Malik, Ahad Khan Cheema, Attaullah Tarar, Engineer Amir Muqam, Sardar Awais Khan Leghari, Sardar Muhammad Yousaf, Mian Muhammad Moeen Wattoo, SAPM Mubarak Zeb, Chairman NDMA Lt Gen Inam Haider Malik, PM’s Chief Coordinator Musharraf Zaidi, and senior officials concerned.