Rising water levels in the Chenab and Sutlej rivers has forced locals into evacuation at Jalalpur Pirwala. However, allegations have emerged that rescue workers are demandeding thousands of rupees from stranded residents to transport them to safety.
The allegations surfaced when senior journalist and analyst Hamid Mir spoke to an affected resident in the area. “I have been waiting since 6 am. My family is trapped on the other side, hungry and thirsty, and I am helpless. I want just one boat to get them out, but Rescue 1122 workers are asking people for 25,000 to 30,000 rupees,” the man claimed.
Rescue officials on the ground rejected the claims. One worker explained his own house had collapsed and his family had been stuck for four days. “I have not had the time to move them to safety. We are here to serve the people, and no rescue worker is asking for money. This is completely false.”
“We have been evacuating people for 15 days. We have not seen such cases. If private boats are charging money, we have nothing to do with that.”
Recent monsoon floods have devastated Pakistan, displacing over 2.2 million people across Punjab alone. The relentless rains, combined with water aggression from India, have submerged nearly 3,900 villages and triggered evacuations of more than 120,000 residents overnight.
At least 61 lives have been lost in Punjab alone, with the nationwide death toll surpassing 900.
The PDMA has issued urgent flood warnings for Sutlej, Ravi and Chenab rivers, labeling the next 24 to 48 hours as critically high-risk.