Billions lost: Floods spark agri-emergency call

The Pakistan Business Forum (PBF) has called for the immediate declaration of an agricultural emergency as widespread flooding devastates large swathes of Punjab and threatens similar destruction in Sindh, jeopardising national food security and economic stability. In a letter addressed to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the forum said preliminary assessments indicated the loss of approximately 60 per cent of the rice crop, 35pc of cotton, and 30pc of sugarcane in central and southern Punjab. Over 1.8 million people across the Chenab, Ravi, and Sutlej river basins have reportedly been severely affected, with floodwaters now moving southwards along the Indus River. “The scale of devastation is staggering,” the letter stated, warning that key agricultural targets set for the current fiscal year may now be unattainable. It cautioned that Sindh could soon face a similar catastrophe if immediate preventive measures are not taken.