A new committee was created to guide flood recovery and evaluate the government’s response to the disaster.
Punjab has set up a parliamentary committee to investigate the damage from the recent floods and monitor rehabilitation efforts in the affected areas.
The committee will be headed by Syed Ali Haider Gillani of the Pakistan People’s Party and includes 24 members of the provincial assembly. The Punjab Assembly Secretariat has issued a notification confirming its formation.
The committee is tasked with preparing its report within 30 days. Their responsibilities include assessing the impact of floods on agriculture, livestock and infrastructure, estimating the losses suffered by affected communities.
It will also examine the causes of the loss of human life during this disaster.
It will also make recommendations for the rehabilitation of flood victims and review the performance and administrative response of government departments during the disaster.
Read: Punjab’s fertile fields devastated by floods
Additionally, the committee will suggest measures to strengthen flood preparedness, including improvements in early warning systems, and gather information on coordination between the Punjab provincial government and federal authorities.
The committee may also call on experts to participate in its meetings and provide technical contributions.
Separately, officials have released updated figures on flood damage in Punjab and the country.
According to Punjab Chief Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb, more than 2.2 million residents were safely evacuated and more than 4.2 million people were affected this monsoon season, making it the largest rescue and relief operation in the history of the province.
At the national level, previous assessments by federal authorities put nationwide losses significantly higher.
Planning Ministry officials revealed in October that flood damage has caused an estimated loss of 3,856 billion rupees in the country, while the economy faces an additional 740 billion rupees in potential losses.
Read more: Floods cause losses worth Rs 3,856 crore
According to the Punjab Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), more than 1.441 million acres of agricultural land in 27 districts of the province have been affected. Major losses have been reported in Rajanpur, Dera Ghazi Khan, Muzaffargarh, Layyah, Bahawalpur, Chiniot, Kasur, Okara, Mandi Bahauddin, Sialkot and Narowal, where crops such as rice, cotton, sugarcane and vegetables have been completely destroyed.
