OKARA: The Punjab government claimed to have completed 70 per cent of survey of flood-stricken areas and announced an allocation of Rs100 billion for the rehabilitation of the victims.

Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz made the announcement while inaugurating the distribution of financial aid cheques among flood victims at the lawns of the District Public School in Dipalpur.

Provincial ministers, local parliamentarians, and senior officials, including Federal Minister Mian Muhammad Moeen Khan Wattoo and Punjab Minister Syed Ashiq Hussain Kirmani, received the chief minister on her arrival.

The chief minister said the unprecedented floods in the Ravi, Sutlej, and Chenab, which lasted for three weeks, had caused massive destruction, affecting 2.5 million people who suffered irreparable losses to crops, livestock, and homes.

Distributes cheques in Dipalpur

She said from the very first day, the Punjab government remained fully engaged in rescue and relief efforts, ensuring the safe evacuation of affected families and their 2.2m heads of livestock. Camps were established to provide food, medical treatment, and other essential facilities under difficult circumstances.

CM Maryam thanked Rescue 1122, the irrigation, livestock, health, civil defence, and police departments, as well as army personnel, for their round-the-clock services. A total of 1,700 teams comprising over 10,000 members took part in the relief operations, she said.

Earlier, the chief minister was briefed that 71,033 bank accounts had been opened across Punjab to facilitate relief disbursements. In Dipalpur district alone, floods in the Ravi and Sutlej had affected 147 villages, damaged 2,580 houses, and impacted 17,313 residents.

As per a handout, the CM said free transport would also be provided to facilitate flood victims in accessing relief funds across Punjab. She emphasised that every single penny is allocated exclusively for flood victims and will not be diverted elsewhere.

She said: “We considered flood victims as our guests and served them as such.”

Maryam stressed that no corruption will be tolerated in the flood relief distribution mechanism. A robust system has been established to ensure that only verified flood-affected individuals receive financial and other assistance.

She asserted, “As long as I am the chief minister, no one will dare look at the people of Punjab with a sinister eye.”

Published in Dawn, October 21st, 2025