Rescue boat tragedies deepen flood misery in Pakistan’s Punjab

A series of boat accidents during rescue and relief operations in flood-hit Punjab — Pakistan’s most populated province — has claimed dozens of lives in recent days, underscoring the dangers facing families trapped in rising waters.

In Lalika Hathhar, Minchanabad, Bahawalnagar, a rescue boat capsized on Thursday, leaving two people missing. Officials said 18 passengers were rescued after ignoring warnings not to overload the vessel.

Assistant Commissioner Minchanabad Ateeq Ullah Khan and police officials reached the site, where water remains five to six feet deep, complicating rescue efforts.

On Wednesday night, a private boat carrying 28 families capsized in Mohana Sandila, Jalalpur Pirwala. Nine people drowned, including a four-year-old boy, Salman.

Local villagers saved 19 passengers before rescue teams arrived. Six bodies have been recovered, and search operations are underway for others still missing, including two siblings.

Earlier Wednesday, another boat overturned on Khanbela Road in Jalalpur during a rescue mission. A 20-day-old girl died despite efforts to revive her, while 19 other passengers survived.

Additional accidents in Darabpur village, Alipur, and Noorwala village, Liaquatpur, left three more people dead, bringing the recent death toll from boat incidents to 10.

On Sept. 8, a Rescue 1122 boat capsized in the Chenab River near Jalalpur Pirwala after hitting a tree, killing five people, including three children and a woman.

In Rahim Yar Khan’s Noorwala area, the toll from another accident rose to eight after two more bodies were recovered on Thursday. The boat had overturned three days earlier while carrying more than 20 people. One person remains missing.

Officials said persuading residents to evacuate is becoming a major challenge.

“Convincing citizens to move to safer ground has become one of our toughest tasks,” said Irfan Ali Kathia, director general of the Punjab Provincial Disaster Management Authority.

“Floodwaters from the Ravi, Chenab, and Sutlej rivers are converging on Jalalpur Pirwala, creating a critical situation. The next three days will be decisive for South Punjab.”

Government response

The Punjab government, led by Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, has stepped up relief operations. Information Minister Azma Bukhari said Nawaz took notice of the Jalalpur Pirwala tragedy and dismissed the city’s assistant commissioner. Relief goods are being delivered by helicopter, she added, while half the provincial cabinet is stationed in Multan and Jalalpur Pirwala.

Senior Provincial Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb visited Jalalpur Pirwala for a second consecutive day on Thursday, meeting with victims’ families and inspecting the embankments. She was joined by Health Minister Khawaja Salman Rafique, Commissioner Aamir Kareem Khan, and Deputy Commissioner Waseem Hamid Sandhu.

“The Punjab government is committed to full-scale rehabilitation of flood victims,” Aurangzeb said. “Additional boats, life jackets, tents, and machinery have been provided.”

School Education Minister Rana Sikandar Hayat has also spent three days in Multan supervising operations.

“Rescue teams and district administration must remain fully engaged at all times,” he said. “Our foremost priority is to ease the difficulties of victims and bring smiles back to the faces of children.”

Rescue operations

Punjab Emergency Services Secretary Dr Rizwan Nasir is overseeing operations across Multan, Alipur, Shujaabad, and Manowala.

In Multan division, 139 boats are in use. In the past 24 hours, 3,628 people were rescued, with 13,617 evacuated over the past three days. More than 25,000 residents have been rescued since flooding began, while 362,000 people and 311,144 livestock have been moved to safer areas.

Provincewide, more than 1,500 boats are engaged. In the past three days, 66,000 people have been rescued, while 2.2 million people and 1.6 million livestock have been evacuated since the onset of flooding.

“We urge residents of Jalalpur Pirwala, Muzaffargarh, Ali Pur Jatoi, and Mehrab Shah to cooperate with evacuation efforts,” Dr. Rizwan said, noting that searchlights and night equipment were in use.

While monsoon rains have subsided, river flows remain dangerous. The Sutlej is flowing at 182,000 cusecs at Ganda Singh Wala, the Chenab at 50,000 cusecs at Marala and 94,000 at Qadirabad, and the Ravi at 23,000 cusecs at Jasr and 78,000 at Head Sidhnai.

At Head Trimmu, flows have dropped to 178,000 cusecs, while at Panjnad they surged to 660,000 and are still rising.

Authorities said bridges at Sher Shah and Head Muhammad Wala remain safe for traffic, while both the M4 and M5 motorways are open.

Human impact

In Jalalpur Pirwala alone, 138 villages and more than 706,000 people are affected. Rescue teams have saved 5,000 people and relocated 2,500 residents in Jalalpur Pirwala and Alipur.

Seventy-eight relief, medical, and veterinary camps are providing food, shelter, and healthcare to survivors.