The federal and provincial authorities, along with NGOs, are undertaking rescue and relief efforts in flood-hit areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit Baltistan (GB) and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) as nearly 750 people have died since the monsoon season started.
Torrential downpours across the country over the last week have caused flooding and landslides that swept away entire villages, leaving hundreds of people dead and dozens missing.
The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) said on Wednesday that eleven more people died in the northern region of Gilgit Baltistan, while over 400 people have been killed in KP since last Thursday.
Meanwhile, the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) has launched a large-scale flood relief operation in GB, according to APP.
Demonstrating unwavering resolve amidst difficult weather conditions and rugged mountainous terrain, PAF C-130 aircraft airlifted seven tons of dry rations, daily use eatables, and life-saving medicines from PAF Base Nur Khan to Gilgit, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement.
According to a communique issued earlier today, the NDMA dispatched two separate consignments of relief goods to Bajaur and Mansehra in KP as part of its ongoing efforts to support flood-affected communities across the province.
The consignments, dispatched early Wednesday morning, comprise essential relief items including tents, blankets, 7KVA generators, dewatering pumps, ration bags, and medicines.
These supplies will be handed over to the local district administrations for distribution among communities impacted by the floods.
“This effort is part of a nationwide relief operation launched on the directives of Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif.”
The NDMA said it is coordinating the dispatch of aid to KP and GB in collaboration with the armed forces and welfare organisations.
Similarly, several NGOs have launched appeals to help the flood-affected people in KP, GB and AJK.
In a post on Instagram, Al-Khidmat Pakistan said: “Thousands of families in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Azad Kashmir & Gilgit-Baltistan have been devastated by flash floods. Homes swept away. Lives at risk.”
The NGO also shared bank details in the Instagram post for donations.
International NGO Islamic Relief also called for donations from Pakistanis as well as donors wishing to send money from abroad.
AKDN relief operations
Amid the devastation, the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) has mobilised relief operations across Gilgit Baltistan, Chitral and other vulnerable mountain communities.
Its lead disaster agency, the Aga Khan Agency for Habitat (AKAH), activated emergency centres in Chitral, Gilgit, Karachi and Islamabad at the onset of the flooding.
More than 3,000 people have been evacuated by Community Emergency Response Teams, who are also distributing food, tents and shelter support. Stockpiles in Gilgit Baltistan and Chitral have been useful in providing emergency assistance, while nine Disaster Assessment Response Teams are conducting rapid surveys in the north.
Community volunteers continue repairing water supply lines, roads and irrigation channels under harsh conditions. In Diamer, Village Emergency Response Teams have rescued stranded residents and tourists, while the Aga Khan Rural Support Programme (AKRSP) has been repairing roads and water infrastructure in Ghizer and Baltistan.
Healthcare workers from the Aga Khan Health Service, Pakistan, remain on 24-hour duty. In Punial, a three-day medical camp treated more than 380 patients, while mobile teams are visiting homes in vulnerable areas to ensure safe deliveries and provide hygiene counselling.
Following an appeal by the GB Chief Minister Haji Gulbar Khan, AKDN has also pledged longer-term support — including rehabilitation of schools and health facilities, solar retrofitting, protection infrastructure, and the distribution of medical equipment and livestock inputs to vulnerable farmers.
