• PM, army chief interact with flood-hit people in Buner
• Shehbaz blames ‘human blunder’ of unregulated construction for worsening rain destruction
• Tells Centre & provinces to join hands on disaster, reforestation, and construction policies
• Over 20 killed as rains lash Karachi, Gilgit-Baltistan
BUNER: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday directed federal and provincial authorities to formulate policies to ban construction in flood-prone zones, as he blamed the unregulated construction in “hazardous areas” for an increase in the damages caused by floods.
He made these remarks during his visit to Buner, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where he addressed the flood victims and promised to utilise all resources for their relief and rehabilitation. The premier described floods, triggered by heavy rains and mountain torrents carrying rocks and debris, as “a doomsday of sorts” for the affected communities.
“More than 350 of our brothers and sisters have lost their lives in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa alone, while nationwide, over 700 lives have been claimed by this tragedy,” he said, adding that hundreds remained injured or missing.
Meanwhile, more than 20 people were killed on Wednesday in a torrential spell of monsoon rain across the country, as downpours have swept away entire villages over the last week, leaving more than 400 dead, AFP reported.
The KP Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) said that the death toll from the floods across the province surged to 385, while 182 others were injured. It said Buner recorded the highest number of 228 deaths, while Swabi recorded 41 deaths.
Recalling the catastrophic floods of 2022, PM Shehbaz stressed that lessons had not been learned, particularly regarding construction in hazardous areas. He criticised the building of hotels and houses on riverbanks and floodplains, terming it a “human blunder” that had worsened the scale of destruction.
“There is no law anywhere in the world that allows construction in such dangerous places,” he said, warning that further spells of heavy rains were expected before September 10.
The PM directed federal and provincial authorities to immediately formulate policies to ban construction in flood-prone zones. He said he would convene a meeting of all chief ministers and their chief secretaries to make joint decisions on disaster preparedness, reforestation, and regulation of construction.
“If we continue to allow influence and corruption to dictate building permits, then neither the people nor the governments will be forgiven,” he remarked.
Relief measures
He also announced emergency relief measures, including the restoration of electricity in flood-affected districts. He said 37 of the 47 damaged feeders in Buner and Swat had already been made functional and ordered that electricity supply be provided for one week, regardless of the bill payment history. He added Gilgit-Baltistan and KP were also being repaired on priority.
Emphasising the role of deforestation in worsening the floods, the prime minister urged strict action against indiscriminate tree-cutting in KP. “If the trees had remained, they would have helped hold back water and rocks,” he said, calling for a ‘national movement’ to stop deforestation and protect natural resources.
He lauded the efforts of the KP government, the Pakistan Army under Field Marshal Asim Munir, civil administration, and local relief organisations in assisting victims. He highlighted the dual challenge of external threats and natural disasters faced by the country, praising security forces for their service.
He also announced civil awards for public servants, such as Zahoor Ahmed, a teacher who lost his life while rescuing children during the floods.
Concluding his visit, the PM urged unity and collective responsibility in the face of recurring climate disasters. “Our limited resources must be spent wisely, on education, health, and sustainable infrastructure, not on repairing preventable destruction again and again,” he said.
A statement issued regarding his visit quoted the PM as saying that Pakistan must act as “a hard state where no one is above law” and necessary actions be taken against defaulters without distinction.
The statement said the premier and army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir received a comprehensive briefing on the ongoing rescue and relief operations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The COAS also interacted with troops, police and civil administration personnel involved in rescue efforts, lauding their selfless commitment in assisting victims of floods and torrential rains. He directed ground formations to approach this responsibility with devotion and spare no effort in alleviating the hardships of flood-affected families.
Published in Dawn, August 21st, 2025