Islamabad: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday announced a relief package for families and businesses hit by the recent floods, unveiling a waiver of one month’s electricity bills for residential consumers in the worst-affected districts.
In a televised address, the premier said the devastation caused by the monsoon rains and flash floods had resulted in heavy human and material losses across Punjab, while Sindh was now under threat. “Helping the flood victims is our duty,” he stressed, adding that electricity distribution companies had been directed to implement the decision without delay.
According to the package, domestic consumers in flood-affected areas will not be charged for one billing cycle, while commercial and industrial consumers will see their August bills postponed. Those who have already cleared their dues will be adjusted in the upcoming cycle. The federal government will bear the financial cost of the relief measure.
Shehbaz Sharif said losses to the agricultural, commercial, and industrial sectors were being assessed, and further steps would be announced if damages crossed the initial estimates. He pledged that rehabilitation of displaced families would remain the government’s top priority.
The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) reported that over 4.49 million people had been affected in Punjab alone, with more than 2.45 million evacuated to safety. At least 396 relief camps have been set up in the hardest-hit districts, while nearly 1.91 million livestock have been shifted to secure locations.
Floodwaters have inundated more than 4,500 villages across Punjab, including 2,334 along the Chenab River, 1,482 along the Ravi, and 672 along the Sutlej, according to Relief Commissioner Nabeel Javed. Authorities fear further hardship as floodwaters move downstream into Sindh, threatening crops, homes, and food supplies in the already strained economy.
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