Every monsoon, Muhammad Asif watches the Ravi River anxiously from his home on Lahore’s outskirts, uncertain whether rising water levels will once again force his family to leave.
“Last year, the water rose so suddenly that many families had to evacuate overnight,” Asif told The Express Tribune. “The government needs a stronger early warning system so people have enough time to move before the water reaches their homes.”
His concerns come as Punjab enters another monsoon season after allocating billions of rupees for flood protection and irrigation in its 2026-27 budget. While authorities say emergency preparations are in place, water experts argue the province still lacks a comprehensive strategy to store excess monsoon water through reservoirs and other long-term infrastructure.
Budget documents show the Punjab government has allocated Rs10.5 billion for flood control and drainage and more than Rs61 billion for irrigation and land reclamation projects. The funding includes rehabilitation of canals, embankments and barrages, while about Rs2 billion has been earmarked for several small dams in the Pothohar region.
However, experts say no major floodwater storage project has been announced despite repeated flooding and increasing climate-related risks.
Professor Syed Amer Mahmood, a water resources and environmental expert at the University of Punjab, said Pakistan has not received reports of any unusual upstream water releases from India despite the onset of the monsoon. He said authorities continue monitoring river flows under the Indus Waters Treaty through the Flood Forecasting Division and other relevant agencies.
“Research conducted after last year’s floods found that several key mitigation measures remain incomplete, including removing encroachments from rivers and natural waterways, desilting drainage channels, reinforcing embankments, repairing weak flood protection structures and improving urban drainage systems,” noted Mahmood.
“Climate change is changing rainfall patterns, increasing the chances of intense downpours and flash floods within short periods,” he added. “Emergency response alone is no longer enough. Punjab needs long-term investment in water storage, river restoration and modern flood management.”
Experts claim Punjab continues to lose enormous quantities of freshwater every monsoon because it lacks adequate flood reservoirs, groundwater recharge basins and rainwater harvesting systems. Without such infrastructure, they warn, floodwater will continue flowing downstream while repeated flooding damages crops, roads, bridges, homes and public infrastructure.
According to the Punjab Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), authorities are monitoring the Chenab, Ravi, Sutlej, Jhelum and Indus rivers, along with hill torrents in Dera Ghazi Khan and Rajanpur and rain-fed areas of Mianwali, Khushab, Attock and northern Punjab.
PDMA Director General Umar Javed said Rescue 1122 teams, motorboats, divers, ambulances, heavy machinery and mobile medical units have already been deployed in vulnerable districts. Temporary shelters, food supplies, clean drinking water, medical services and livestock evacuation plans are also in place, while rescue teams have completed emergency drills in coordination with federal and provincial agencies.
Government figures show last year’s monsoon affected more than 4,400 villages and around 4.4 million people across Punjab. Thousands of families were displaced, farmland was submerged, roads and bridges were damaged, and at least 76 people lost their lives.
Residents say preventing future disasters requires more than emergency preparedness.Latest News, Breaking News & Top News Stories | The Express TribuneMuhammad IlyasRead More