- Prime minister assures flood-affected people of govt and army’s unwavering commitment to extending maximum support to them ‘in this critical hour’
- Appreciates tireless dedication of armed forces and civil administration, assuring them of all possible assistance
- Speaks of illegal encroachments, timber mafia, and other activities, especially in region’s waterways, which have contributed greatly to the loss of lives and damages
- Field Marshal Munir lauds selfless commitment of troops assisting victims of floods and torrential rains
ISLAMABAD/BUNER/GADOON: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday visited the cloudburst- and flood-ravaged Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s districts of Swat, Buner and Shangla as rescue operation was completed in Gadoon’s Dalori with 14 more bodies recovered from debris.
Record rains and cloudburst in KP, started on August 15, have wreaked havoc on different parts of the province, prompting the provincial government to declare an emergency as torrential rains ravaged homes, displaced families, and left a trail of destruction across Buner, Swat, Shangla, Mansehra, and parts of Gadoon Amazai.
“Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, accompanied by federal ministers and Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, visited the flood-affected districts of Swat, Buner, and Shangla,” according to the Associated Press of Pakistan (APP).
Earlier in the day, fourteen more bodies were recovered from underneath the debris in Dalori, a cloudburst-hit in Swabi district’s mountainous Gadoon region, bringing the number of bodies recovered in the region to 37, according to the PDMA and rescue officials.
According to the latest data from the KP Provincial Disaster Management Authority, 385 people have died in rain-related incidents since August 15, with Buner reporting the highest toll at 228. Another 182 people are injured, including 145 men, 27 women and 10 children.
Comprehensive briefing on rescue and relief operation
The prime minister and COAS also received a comprehensive briefing on ongoing rescue and relief operations in KP, the PID added.
Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan Amir Muqam, and Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal accompanied PM Shehbaz.
During their interaction with flood victims, the prime minister assured them of the government and the army’s unwavering commitment to extending maximum support to them “in this critical hour.”
PM Shehbaz appreciated the tireless dedication of the armed forces and civil administration, reaffirmed solidarity with the flood-affected population, and assured them of all possible assistance, the APP reported.
The prime minister emphasized that every available national resource will be mobilized to accelerate recovery efforts and restore normalcy in the affected areas.
Illegal encroachments, timber mafia, and stone crushing activities
Speaking on the occasion, the prime minister also drew attention to illegal encroachments, the timber mafia, and stone crushing activities, especially in the region’s waterways, which have contributed greatly to the loss of lives and damages.
“After the 2022 floods, I saw with my own eyes that on the sides of nullahs, rivers — In fact, even inside the rivers — that hotels and houses had been made. There is no law in the entire world that allows you to construct dangerous hotels in such places,” he regretted.
He said Pakistan must act as a ‘hard state’ where no one is above the law and necessary actions are taken against violators without distinction, according to the APP.
COAS interacts with troops, police and civil administration involved in rescue efforts
Field Marshal Asim Munir also interacted with the troops, police and civil administration personnel involved in rescue efforts, lauding their selfless commitment in assisting victims of floods and torrential rains.
The COAS directed ground formations to approach the responsibility with utmost devotion and to spare no effort in alleviating the hardships of flood-stricken families, the APP report said.
“He underscored that the safety and relief of fellow citizens remain the foremost priority, commending the forces and civil administration for their untiring service,” the APP reported.
The prime minister and participants earlier also offered prayers for those who lost their lives in the floods.
On Tuesday, the premier had ordered a week-long, uninterrupted supply of electricity to the flood-hit areas of Gilgit-Baltistan and KP while road and power supply were being restored in these areas.
Tragedy unfolded in mountainous Dalori
Dalori, is a far-flung village in the mountainous regions of Gadoon Amazai, Topi, a sub-tehsil of Swabi.
The area was hit by a cloudburst on Monday morning, resulting in complete destruction of 12 houses and people were buried under the debris. By Tuesday, the death toll in the Gadoon’s Dalori had surged to 24, including eight children.
According to the KP PDMA, the number of dead in Gadoon’s Dalori rose to 37 on Wednesday.
The officials said that the rescue operation has been completed in the area with the recovery of all dead bodies from under the debris, adding that the government moved to the second phase of rehabilitation to help people rebuild their homes or move to safer places.
They pointed out that work has also been initiated on rehabilitation of communication means, including road opening and rehabilitation, restoration of the electricity supply system and cellular system.
Meanwhile, Swabi Deputy Commissioner Nasarullah Khan informed that “With the recovery of 14 more dead on Wednesday, we have completed the rescue task and all 37 dead bodies from the debris at Dalori village have been recovered.”
The district administration has completed the task, satisfying the local people who assisted them and monitoring the entire operation, which was continued round the clock since Monday, he added.
“Eight dead bodies were recovered on Monday, 15 more were extracted on Tuesday and 14 on Wednesday,” he said.
Officials in hospitals said that a total of eight people were injured in Dalori village and they were provided free health services.
DC Nasarullah said: “Now we will shift to relief operation to rehabilitate the locals affected by the cloudburst.”
In a separate incident, four people were killed in Sarkoi Bala village. The dead bodies from there were recovered on the very first day of the incident.
“So far, a total of 29 dead bodies, including children, women and men, have been recovered from the debris in this ill-fated and natural calamity-hit village,” District Emergency Officer (DEO) Rescue 1122 Swabi Muhammad Awais Babar informed the media.
DEO Babar said the district administration has decided to continue its search operation in the area till the task is completed, with locals assisting and monitoring the efforts, which have been ongoing since Monday.
Rescue workers look for victims, following a storm that caused heavy rains and flooding in Dalori Bala village in Gadoon district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, Pakistan on August 19, 2025. — Reuters
A total of 110 rescue staff had been deployed at the Dalori village site, as per the DEO. “Rescue 1122 of Nowshera, Haripur and Mardan districts have been assisting them in the continued operation for the last three days.”
Pakistan army soldiers, civil defence volunteers, members of Al-Khidmat Foundation, and various locals from different villages in the Gadoon Amazai belt participated in the operation.
However, Topi Mayor Rahim Jadoon said the exact number of missing people was still unknown, but confirmed that the cloudburst had destroyed 12 houses.
A day earlier, KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur declared his government would provide all possible assistance to flood-hit people to help them rebuild their lives.
He vowed that the government spare no effort to assist the affected people and fulfill all their needs.
Separately, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar, while speaking to the media in Peshawar, expressed gratitude to the federal and provincial governments, Pakistan Army, political parties and their organisations, as well as all individuals and institutions that came forward to provide aid during the floods.
UK’s King Charles condoles death of flood victims, extends solidarity
Also on Wednesday, the United Kingdom’s King Charles condoled the death of flood victims and expressed solidarity with those affected by the flooding.
“My wife and I have been desperately saddened to learn of the tragic loss of life and widespread devastation caused by the recent monsoon flooding in Pakistan and of the horrendous helicopter crash during rescue operations,” the British monarch said in a statement.
“The scale of suffering is truly heart-rending, and our thoughts and deepest sympathy are with all those who have lost loved ones, homes, and livelihoods,” the statement quoted King Charles as saying.
The British monarch also extended “heartfelt condolences to those affected and stands in solidarity with the people of Pakistan during this most difficult time.”
The statement added that he was especially mindful of the enduring bonds between the two nations and of the many families in the United Kingdom with close ties to Pakistan.
He also commended the commitment of the emergency services, volunteers, and local communities, “who are working so hard and against such overwhelming odds to rescue those in danger and to provide vital relief to those whose lives have been so cruelly disrupted.”
