Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz on Saturday said that a historic flood rescue operation in the province successfully evacuated 600,000 people and saved 450,000 livestock from the devastating floodwaters.

Addressing the massive scale of the rescue effort, Maryam Nawaz commended the Punjab Rescue Team, saying, “Everyone worked as one family. I congratulate the entire team for their dedication. We are facing a situation we haven’t seen in decades.”

“When India opened the spillways, the rivers overflowed, and timely evacuations by district commissioners and deputy commissioners saved lives, as the scale of the disaster was beyond the government’s resources,” she said.

She also underscored the importance of efficient relief operations, which included setting up tent villages, providing mobile bathrooms, and converting schools into shelters for the displaced.

“We must ensure that no one faces a shortage of food or supplies. The shelter arrangements must be gender-sensitive, with separate buildings for women and men,” she added.

Maryam Nawaz highlighted the critical need for communication during the ongoing crisis.

“People must contact the Commissioner’s Office for support, rather than waiting for rescue teams to arrive. Leaving homes is difficult, but it’s necessary to save lives,” she emphasised.

In the emergency meeting held at the PDMA Headquarters, which included officials from the Punjab Chief Secretary’s Office, Relief Commissioner, and departments of Irrigation, C&W, and Agriculture, the chief minister was briefed on the flood situation.

Mariam Aurangzeb and Uzma Bukhari were also present at the meeting.

The chief minister confirmed that Jhang, Multan, Sahiwal, Kasur, Pakpattan, Vehari, Bahawalnagar, Bahawalpur, Rajanpur, and Rahim Yar Khan are on high alert, with the focus now shifting to continuous rescue operations in the affected areas.

She praised the joint efforts of all involved agencies, including the Pakistan Army, for their contribution to the ongoing rescue mission, which has saved thousands of lives and protected valuable livestock.

“I’m immensely grateful to the Pakistan Army for their support,” she said.