LAHORE: Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari on Saturday said the provincial government will learn from this year’s unprecedented floods and take concrete steps to strengthen preparedness once the crisis is over.
Speaking on a TV channel, she noted that forestation under the Ravi Urban Development Authority (RUDA) was already underway, with plans to build lakes to conserve water. “This is the biggest flood in our province’s history,” she said. “The Chief Minister has made it clear that we need to learn from this experience. Small dams, forestation, and long-term strategies are all under discussion.”
Bokhari stressed that Pakistan remains one of the most vulnerable countries to climate change. “Experts are warning that the next monsoon could be far worse than this one. We will prepare accordingly, and the Chief Minister is ready to take every step required,” she added. She also pointed out that illegal settlements on riverbeds, particularly in her constituency Shahdara, have worsened flood risks and must be addressed.
Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz reiterated that “even floods cannot hinder the journey of service” as large-scale rescue and relief operations continue across flood-hit districts. On her instructions, provincial ministers, lawmakers, commissioners, deputy commissioners, and field officers are actively supervising relief efforts to ensure timely assistance.
Rescue workers were praised for their dedication, including a team that reached Drasaan Wali Bheini with a large boat to save a villager’s daughter’s dowry from floodwaters. Maryam also commended medical staff at field hospitals and Clinics-on-Wheels operating in Lahore, Sargodha, Bahawalpur, and other districts, where doctors provided treatment, medicines, and diagnostic services—often while wearing life jackets.
Punjab Police have also been at the forefront, assisting in large-scale evacuations in Bahawalnagar and nearby areas. Citizens lauded officers who carried children in their arms while moving families to safety.
Bokhari concluded that while relief efforts remain the government’s top priority, the real task ahead lies in building resilience against future disasters. “Climate change will be at the center of the chief minister’s agenda once this crisis is behind us,” she said.
