Islamabad (19 August 2025): Pakistan People’s Party Senator Waqar Mehdi expressed profound grief over the loss of lives and widespread destruction caused by heavy rains and flooding in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He said that, following the directives of Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, relief supplies from the Sindh government have already begun reaching Peshawar to support the rain-affected communities. Senator Mehdi emphasized that this is a moment to set aside political differences and stand in solidarity with our brothers and sisters enduring the devastation.
While addressing the Senate session, Senator Waqar Mehdi said that although the ongoing rains have also affected Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Kashmir, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has been the hardest hit, with over 650 lives lost. He said that, in light of the devastation, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah and Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti contacted the Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to express solidarity and assured him of full support.
PPP Senator described the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister’s remarks—that he did not require assistance from anyone—as deeply regrettable. He stressed, “Relief and rehabilitation of rain-affected citizens must rise above politics—this is a matter of humanitarian concern.”
Senator Waqar Mehdi highlighted that, as part of relief efforts for flood victims in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the Sindh government has handed over 100 water filtration plants to the Red Crescent, adding that food packages for more than 4,000 rain-affected families have already been delivered to Peshawar, while 15 additional trucks carrying essential supplies have also been dispatched to the province.
Senator Waqar Mehdi recalled that in 2022, when Sindh was devastated by historic flooding, Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, in his capacity as Foreign Minister, engaged directly with the UN Secretary-General and facilitated his visit to the flood-affected areas of Sindh. He also reached out to other friendly nations to secure their support. On the issue of climate change, Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari effectively represented the case of the entire country at international forums. As a result of his efforts, a global fund was established for the rehabilitation of the 2022 flood victims.
Senator Mehdi pointed out that construction of houses for 2.1 million affected families in Sindh is progressing rapidly, making it the largest resettlement initiative of its kind in the world. He further informed the Senate that over 600,000 houses have already been completed, with ownership rights granted to women.
Senator Waqar Mehdi urged Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to personally visit all areas affected by the recent rains, including Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and to ensure that the victims receive every possible assistance. He further stressed the urgent need for establishing a modern early warning system in Pakistan to deal with heavy rains, floods, and other natural disasters. He said that forecasts issued by the Meteorological Department are often inconsistent, which undermines preparedness. Expressing regret that the country still lacks an early flood warning system, he emphasized that with advanced mechanisms in place, thousands of lives could be saved and financial losses significantly reduced.
Senator Mehdi also underlined the importance of strengthening and effectively activating institutions such as Civil Defence and volunteer mechanisms like Scouts to better respond to emergencies.
