Field marshal Gen Asim Munir wants army’s full mobilisation in flood-hit areas: ISPR DG

Islamabad – Pakistan is reeling from the devastating impact of ongoing monsoon floods, which have so far claimed at least 670 lives and left more than 1,000 injured across the country, officials confirmed on Tuesday. Rescue and relief operations are underway on a war footing, as authorities brace for another intense spell of rainfall expected from August 23.

The Pakistan Army, National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), and federal government agencies are leading a large-scale humanitarian response. So far, over 25,000 people have been rescued and shifted to safer locations, while more than 6,000 flood victims have received medical treatment in army-run relief camps.

Director General ISPR, Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, stated that on instructions from Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir, Army Aviation, engineers, and rescue teams are actively operating in flood-hit areas. Army helicopters are delivering food and medicines to remote regions, while damaged roads and bridges are being restored around the clock.

“One day’s ration of the Pakistan Army has been allocated for the victims,” said DG ISPR, highlighting that 90 roads in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) have been destroyed, though rehabilitation is already in progress.

Special medical teams from Combined Military Hospitals (CMH) and army units have been deployed in KP and Gilgit-Baltistan, where flooding caused by glacier melting and cloudbursts has wreaked havoc.

Government Intensifies Relief Work

Federal Information Minister Attaullah Tarar confirmed that the federal government, under the direction of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, has ramped up emergency response efforts. Around 1,200 tents and a special medical team from PIMS Hospital have been dispatched to affected districts.

Electricity supply, which was heavily disrupted in Swat, Shangla, and Bajaur, has now been restored up to 70%, while key roads such as Malakand, Bisham, and the N-90 highway have been reopened. Energy Minister and other officials are monitoring the situation on the ground.

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“The Prime Minister has made it clear that in this difficult time, we are all united,” said Tarar, emphasizing the government’s commitment to stand by the victims.

NDMA Issues Fresh Warning

NDMA Chairman Lieutenant General Inam Haider Malik warned that another powerful monsoon spell is likely to hit parts of the country from August 23, urging provincial authorities to remain on high alert.

He stated that the ongoing floods are primarily the result of glacier melt and sudden cloudbursts in the northern areas. NDMA has sent a third batch of relief supplies, including rations and medicines, to five flood-affected districts in KP under the Prime Minister’s Ration Package.

About 50% of highway restoration work has already been completed, while a comprehensive survey is being conducted to assess the full scale of damages.