NAROWAL : A 20-year-old man drowned while bathing in the Basantar rainwater drain near Narowal, while his pet dog also lost its life after apparently attempting to save him.

According to Narowal district emergency officer, the control room received an emergency call from village Qiaimpur on Shakargarh Road reporting that a young man had drowned in the rain-fed Basantar drain.

Rescue teams were immediately dispatched to the site and launched an extensive search operation using professional divers, modern equipment and specialised machinery. Rescue volunteers and local residents also joined the operation.

According to the victim’s family, Habib Jamal, a resident of village Qiaimpur, had left home with his pet dog for a walk but failed to return. During the search, his mobile phone, wristwatch and shoes were found on the bank of the drain.

Engineer Aurangzeb said the rescue operation continued for nearly 36 hours before divers recovered Habib’s body about 1.5 kilometres away.

A local resident, Muhammad Safdar, said the young man had been bathing in the rain drain when he suddenly slipped into deep water and was swept away by the strong current.

He said the victim’s pet dog jumped into the water in an apparent attempt to rescue its owner, but it too drowned.

The body of the dog was also recovered during the search operation. According to local residents, the dog was a valuable breed worth more than Rs1 million.

Published in Dawn, August 2nd, 2026