LAHORE:
Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has directed intensified relief and rehabilitation operations in the wake of the province’s worst flooding in decades, with a focus on both human and livestock safety.
High-quality cattle feed “Anmol Vanda” is being distributed in relief camps, including those set up in Pakpattan, Hafizabad, Okara, Nankana Sahib, Bahawalpur, Vehari, and other flood-hit areas.
In a first for Pakistan, drone technology has been deployed for flood response. Surveillance flights equipped with thermal imaging cameras are helping identify stranded people and animals in difficult-to-access regions.
In Jhang’s Semi-Pul Bypass Sargodha Road area, five individuals and their livestock were successfully traced and rescued after drones located them in rising waters.
Similar operations are underway in Chishtian and Bahawalnagar, where drones are monitoring river belts and assisting rescue teams. Authorities said the technology is also being used to track rescue boats and improve coordination, making it easier to detect submerged victims and livestock.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif expressed deep sorrow over the death of Assistant Commissioner Pattoki Furqan Ahmed Khan, who suffered a fatal cardiac arrest while on continuous flood relief duty.
Despite battling cancer, Khan had worked tirelessly for four consecutive days, overseeing the distribution of food, medicine, and shelter to displaced families.
Paying tribute, the chief minister described him as a “true hero” and an enduring symbol of duty and selflessness. “Furqan Ahmed sacrificed his life while helping people in the most difficult circumstances,” she said.
The provincial government has approved Punjab’s highest civil award to honour the late officer and announced a grant of Rs10 million for his family.
