Govt to Fully Compensate Flood Victims, Build Homes: Gandapur

PESHAWAR (Special Correspondent) – Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur has said that all destroyed homes will be rebuilt after the flood. Addressing a press conference in Peshawar on Sunday, he reaffirmed his government’s commitment to supporting flood victims. He added that residents from flood-affected areas will be relocated to safer locations. The chief minister said that the prime minister and federal ministers have contacted him over the phone and offered assistance, adding, “We fully expect the federation to play its part.” A resident walks past damaged houses, following a storm that caused heavy rains and flooding in KPs Bayshonai Kalay, in Buner district on August 17, 2025. — Reuters A resident walks past damaged houses, following a storm that caused heavy rains and flooding in KP’s Bayshonai Kalay, in Buner district on August 17, 2025. — Buner worst-hit district with over 200 deaths, mass destruction. Gandapur visits flood-hit Buner, announces Rs1.5bn for relief. Rescue teams, army, civil defence continue large-scale operations.With the country’s northern areas, predominantly Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir, facing wide-scale destruction and loss of life due to rains and floods, the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has warned of more intense torrential rains across the country commencing today (Sunday). “Strong monsoon currents from the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal are continuously penetrating into the country. Low Pressure System (LPA) over the Bay of Bengal is likely to move westward from August 17 (today) and intensify this monsoon activity,” the Met Office said in a statement. Also, a westerly wave was present over the country under the influence of these meteorological conditions, it added. Widespread rain-wind/thundershowers (with scattered heavy falls at times very heavy) are expected in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Dir, Chitral, Swat, Kohistan, Shangla, Battagram, Mansehra, Abbottabad, Haripur, Buner, Malakand, Bajaur, Mohmand, Kohat and Peshawar. Heavy downpour is likely in Charsadda, Nowshera, Mardan, Swabi, Khyber, Orakzai, Kurram, Hangu, Karak, Bannu, Lakki Marwat, Waziristan, Tank and Dera Ismail Khan till August 19 (Tuesday). Residents gather in front of damaged houses after flash floods in the Buner district of the monsoon-hit Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on August 16, 2025. — AFP Residents gather in front of damaged houses after flash floods in the Buner district of the monsoon-hit Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on August 16, 2025. — AFP The forecast comes as the deaths in rain-related incidents across the country, mostly KP, GB and AJK, have surpassed the grim 300-mark with KP reporting the highest tally of 657 fatalities as per a statement issued by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) on Sunday. GB and AJK have reported 12 and 11 fatalities so far — pushing the total death toll in northern areas to at least 337. Giving a breakdown of the deaths in KP, the PDMA said that at least 323 people have lost their lives in rain and flash flood-related incidents across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. It added that 156 people were injured, while 336 houses were damaged in the recent spell of rains and floods. Of the damaged houses, 230 were partially affected, and 106 were completely destroyed. Buner was the worst-hit district, where 209 deaths have been reported so far. Fatalities and damages were also recorded in Swat, Bajaur, Torghar, Mansehra, Shangla and Battagram districts. The PDMA said rescue and relief efforts were underway in affected areas. Search for missing, rehabilitation work underway Speaking during a media briefing today, National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) Chairman Lieutenant General Inam Haider Malik said that that rehabilitation work was underway in areas where communication roads had been damaged. “Relief supplies and food will be provided in the affected districts. NDMA is in constant contact with the provincial government,” Lt Gen Malik said, adding that a search for missing persons was underway. Noting that rehabilitation work was being carried out in Buner, Bajaur and Battagram, the NDMA chief called for evacuation of people from low lying areas. “The losses [and damage] in KP are a part of climate change. As a nation, we will fight these climate changes together.” The NDMA chairman highlighted that early warnings played an important role in preventing losses and damage, and said that the authority’s focus would be on North Punjab, AJK and GB for the next two weeks. Three rain spells moving towards Pakistan During the NDMA’s media briefing, Dr Tayyab Shah, the authority’s technical expert, warned another monsoon spell was expected after August 22. “Three more rain spells are moving towards Pakistan,” Dr Shah remarked while referring to a new system moving towards the country from the Bay of Bengal. Furthermore, another monsoon system is moving towards Pakistan from Afghanistan’s Nangarhar and Kandahar regions due to which the country’s northern areas and those from Punjab are at high risk. Meanwhile, NDMA’s General Manager Zahra Hassan, warned that heavy rains were expected in the next 24 to 48 hours. Noting that the Tarbela Dam was currently at its 98% capacity, she expressed concern that the water level may increase to a dangerous level in the coming days. Meanwhile, a new series of rains has started in the areas along Koh-e- Sulaiman mountain range and there is an increased risk of floods in AJK’s Neelum, Pooch and Bagh areas. The risk of floods in KP’s Peshawar, Chitral, Dir and Charsadda is also high, she added. Additionally, expanding on the authority’s preparations for emergencies and disasters, NDMA’s Member Operations Brigadier Kamran said that they had begun preparations for the monsoon season since February this year. “Measures were taken to prevent losses from the current monsoon with the provincial governments”. Noting that the destruction and loss of life in Buner and Bajaur was due to a cloudburst, Brig Kamran said that a total of 337 people had died in the past two days — from rain-related incidents — while 178 others were wounded. “The provincial government has been provided with resources for rescue through the Army and FC. The second batch of relief goods will be sent to Buner by the federal government tomorrow,” he remarked. ‘No significant support’ Separately, speaking at a press conference, KP CM’s Adviser on Information Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif said that Buner was among the worst-hit areas from the flash floods. Commending the Rescue 1122 for its timely response, Saif highlighted the need for the public to be duly briefed and apprised of the flood situation. “Pakistan Army has handed over five helicopters to the provincial government,” the KP government spokesperson said while expanding on the assistance provided by the federal government. Expressing satisfaction over the fact that there had been no politics by any opposition party on the matter, Saif said that CM Gandapur will visit Swat today. “No significant support has come from Punjab and the federal government yet,” he lamented while recalling the assurances and offers made by Prime Minsiter Shehbaz Sharif and Punjab CM Maryam Nawaz. Gandapur visits Buner Meanwhile, KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur visited the flood-affected areas of Buner and later chaired a high-level meeting at the Deputy Commissioner’s office, read a statement from his office. During his visit, the statement added, officials briefed the CM on the devastation caused by flooding and the rescue efforts. Gandapur was informed that the recent cloud burst damaged at least 5,380 houses across seven village councils in Buner. As many as 209 deaths have been reported in Buner so far — one more than the figure issued by the PDMA — while 134 people are missing and 159 others sustained injuries. With three army battalions and 300 civil defence volunteers are carrying out the rescue operations, authorities have said that food, tents and blankets are being provided to the affected people. A six-kilometre stretch of Pir Baba Road and a 3.5-kilometre section of Gokand Road have been cleared. Debris has also been removed from 15 landslide points. A relief emergency has been declared in eight affected districts, including Buner, and the search for missing individuals is still underway. Furthermore, Gandapur was briefed that as many as 3,500 people had been rescued safely. Praising the efforts of all institutions, the CM assured that the government would “leave no stone unturned” in the rehabilitation of victims. He added that Rs1.5 billion had been released for relief efforts and thanked the prime minister and all chief ministers for “standing shoulder to shoulder” with the province. “A model anti-encroachment operation was conducted in Dera Ismail Khan, and we will replicate the same across the province,” he said. Speaking to the media, Gandapur said that the provincial government’s priority was restoring washed-away roads in the affected areas. “It is not possible to compensate for the loss of life, we will compensate for the financial losses,” he said, adding that additional helicopters have been requested from the aviation ministry for rescue and relief efforts. “The provincial government has the resources to compensate for the losses 100%. No one has ever compensated for the losses 100%, but we will,” he remarked. New homes for affectees CM Gandapur vowed that the provincial government would fully compensate people affected by the recent floods and provide housing for displaced families. Speaking to the media at the Commissioner’s Office in Saidu Sharif, the provincial chief executive said the government would ensure that all damages, including losses to public property, are compensated. He said every department actively participated in the rescue operation, and doctors and relief teams had been dispatched to affected areas. Highlighting the causes of destruction, Gandapur pointed to long-standing encroachments, lack of nullahs’ cleaning, and non-implementation of court orders to remove illegal markets. He said that a market in the middle of Buner could not be demolished due to a court stay order, and added that had it been removed earlier, the damage might have been reduced. The KP CM also criticised the tendency to seek court stays instead of complying with official warnings to vacate vulnerable sites. He warned that those establishing encroachments would face legal action, though he acknowledged such disasters could occur even without them. He added that a fund of Rs109 billion was available for relief efforts, stressing that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was capable of managing its needs without relying on external aid, though the federal and provincial governments had assured cooperation. Meanwhile, in Swat’s Makan Bagh, flood victims staged a protest and blocked Saidu Sharif Road for all traffic, accusing the government of failing to deliver relief even on the third day after the disaster.

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