As Pakistan faces catastrophic flooding, renowned singer and humanitarian Hadiqa Kiani has issued an urgent plea to residents living along the Ravi, Sutlej, and Chenab river belts, urging them to prioritise their safety and evacuate immediately.
Taking to Instagram, Kiani shared a heartfelt video message to raise awareness among vulnerable communities, stressing the severity of the situation.
“As you know, Pakistan is going through a difficult time, floods are ravaging the country, KPK, Sindh and Punjab are on high alert. Settlements near the Ravi, Sutlej, and Chenab are most vulnerable. It’s constantly raining, and water levels are constantly rising,” she said.
“My request for the people living in these settlements is that they take these alerts seriously and try to move from there. Take your valuables and try to find shelter elsewhere so your life, and the lives of your loved ones, aren’t at stake,” added Kiani.
Her appeal comes amid urgent evacuation orders from the government, as relentless rains and upstream water discharge from Indian dams have pushed river levels to dangerous highs. The situation has been labelled unprecedented, with relief operations escalating across Punjab and beyond.
The army has been deployed in eight districts—including Lahore, Kasur, Narowal, and Faisalabad—to support rescue and evacuation efforts. Tens of thousands have already fled their homes as entire villages have been submerged. According to officials, over 150,000 people and 35,000 livestock have been relocated to safe zones, with emergency teams working around the clock.
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN-OCHA) reports that this year’s monsoon death toll in Pakistan is already nearly three times higher than the same period last year.
Floodwaters have displaced hundreds of thousands, wiped out livestock, and devastated vast swaths of agricultural land—particularly in Punjab. The deluge, worsened by continuous torrential rainfall and cross-border water flow, has left large areas inaccessible and in urgent need of humanitarian aid.
Hadiqa Kiani is no stranger to humanitarian efforts. In 2022, her Vaseela campaign played a critical role in providing relief to flood-affected communities in Balochistan. That year, floods destroyed over 26,000 homes and claimed approximately 225 lives in the province, according to the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) Balochistan.
If you are looking to support relief efforts, several organisations actively working in Gilgit-Baltistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are also expected to be collecting donations for Punjab and other affected regions. Consider donating or volunteering to help those in need during this national crisis.
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