BAHAWALPUR: Preparations are being made to create a breach near Uch Sharif ahead of the Panjnad Headworks, about 70kms from here.

Dawn has learnt that the administrations of Bahawalpur and Muzaffargarh districts and irrigation officials concerned were in close coordination to decide the timing of breaching the identified section on the left marginal bund (LMB) of the Panjnad Headworks, as indicated last week by Bahawalpur Deputy Commissioner Dr Farhan Farooq.

Sources say that the breach was necessitated due to the rising floodwater trend at the Panjnad Headworks with increasing water level in the river Chenab near Sher Shah Bridge on Multan-Muzaffargarh road.

The sources say that the Panjnad Headworks Division executive engineer (EXEN) has written a letter to the Muzaffargarh DC to convene a meeting to take a decision in this respect.

The letter says the Panjnad Headworks received 703,698 cusecs on Friday with a rising trend, adding that the discharge from Sher Shah Bridge is expected to rise further.

It says that as per the Punjab irrigation department’s policy, the breach section may be operated at the Head Panjnad Headworks once any of the criteria laid down in the policy is met.

The sources say that the meeting of the committee to decide the breach may be held on Saturday, when the situation regarding the floodwater trend is expected to be clearer.

Published in Dawn, September 13th, 2025