Pakistan’s eastern Punjab province is facing the worst flooding in its history, with officials confirming that nearly two million people have been affected as rivers swell to record levels. Torrential monsoon rains, intensified by climate change, combined with water released from Indian dams, have inundated vast stretches of farmland and villages, leaving communities stranded.
Punjab’s senior minister Maryam Aurangzeb told reporters on Sunday that it is the first time in history that the Sutlej, Chenab, and Ravi rivers have simultaneously carried such dangerously high volumes of water. Authorities have set up rescue camps in schools, police stations, and security facilities, with boats deployed to evacuate residents from submerged areas.
Aurangzeb accused India of deliberately releasing water into Pakistan, noting that the Foreign Ministry is gathering evidence. India had warned of potential cross-border flooding last week, marking the first direct diplomatic contact between the two countries since a near-war confrontation in May.
The flooding could have devastating long-term consequences for Pakistan’s food security. Punjab, home to 150 million people, is the country’s agricultural backbone and its largest wheat producer. Floods in 2022 already destroyed vast tracts of farmland, forcing then-Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to warn of looming shortages.
According to the national weather center, Punjab has received over 26 per cent more rain this monsoon season compared to last year. Since late June, the disaster management authority reports 849 deaths and more than 1,100 injuries nationwide from rain-related disasters. With monsoon season stretching until the end of September, officials fear the toll could rise further.