Army deployed in Pakistan's Punjab to tackle flood devastation

Islamabad, Aug 27 (PTI) The Pakistan government formally called in the army to help tackle the devastation caused by floods in the Punjab province, according to an official notification on Wednesday.

This comes as Punjab, the country's largest province, is facing an unprecedented flood emergency owing to a combination of heavy rains and water released by India from two dams.

Over 800 people have been killed in Pakistan this year due to monsoon rains and floods.

The Ministry of Interior issued a notification about the deployment of the army in the province after the Punjab government sought help from the centre for rescue and relief operations.

The government "is pleased to authorise deployment of sufficient strength of Pakistan Army troops in aid of civil power in district Hafizabad (including any other district of Punjab province if [the] requirement arises) to avoid any untoward incident and to rescue the flood-affectees,” according to the notification.

A second notification stated that army soldiers would be deployed to Sargodha, Lahore, Okara, Faisalabad, Sialkot, Narowal and Kasur districts of the province.

The deployment of the army in Punjab comes amidst heavy flooding in the major rivers Chenab, Ravi and Sutlej, which according to the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) are in “very high to exceptionally high” flood.

Thousands of people have also been evacuated to safer areas across the Punjab province, according to officials.

The army regularly steps in to aid civilian administrations during natural disasters and emergencies. Army personnel have been helping in the country's Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province as well as Pakistan-occupied Kashmir's (PoK) Gilgit-Baltistan region, where rains and flash floods have wreaked havoc.

Army spokesman Lt Gen Ahmad Sharif Chaudhry told the media that two engineer units, one medical battalion and one infantry battalion are working in addition to other troops in PoK in relief and rescue activities.

He also said that one engineer brigade, two engineer units, four infantry units, one urban search and rescue team and a medical battalion are active in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.  “After a great effort, all major roads have been cleared,” he said.

He added that the army is carrying out a “major rescue operation” with boats in Kartarpur Sahib, adding that if the weather clears, army aviation will join the rescue effort.

“As we speak, five engineer boats, with civil administration, are part of the rescue operation,” Lt Gen Chaudhry said.

The seasonal downpour began on June 26, and so far at least eight spells of monsoon have hit different parts of the country. The ensuing floods accompanied by incessant downpour killed at least 809 people and injured another 1,100 in different parts of the country, according to fresh data issued by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).  NDMA Chairman Lieutenant General Inam Haider Malik said that Pakistan is currently in the eighth phase of the current monsoon season.

The National Emergency Operation Centre of the NDMA warned of more rain during the upcoming weekend, which will continue until the start of next week. PTI SH  GRS GRS