Lahore — Saudi Arabia has dispatched much-needed flood relief supplies to Punjab, providing shelter and food assistance for thousands of families affected by the recent disaster.
At a ceremony in Lahore, Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz and Saudi Ambassador Nawaf bin Said Al-Maliki formally handed over the consignment to the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA). The aid, sent through the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre, consists of five truckloads of goods, including 10,000 shelter kits and food packages for distribution in seven badly affected districts Kasur, Jhang, Multan, Chiniot, Khanewal, Toba Tek Singh, and Hafizabad.
According to officials, each food package weighs 95 kilograms and contains flour, sugar, gram lentils, and cooking oil. The shelter kits include a tent, solar panel, LED lights, two thermal blankets, a plastic mat, a durable kitchen set, a water cooler, antibacterial soap, and other essential supplies. The distribution will be carried out jointly by PDMA, the King Salman Relief Centre, and the Hayat Foundation.
Expressing her gratitude, Maryam Nawaz thanked King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for what she described as timely and generous support. She said Saudi Arabia’s assistance symbolized true brotherhood and solidarity between the two nations. “Once again, Saudi Arabia has stood by Pakistan in its time of trial,” she noted, adding that relations between the two countries are built not only on strategy but also on trust and shared values.
During the ceremony, Maryam and the ambassador also discussed ongoing relief operations, economic cooperation, and regional matters. The chief minister praised the Saudi leadership’s vision and empathy, calling it a guiding force for progress and unity in the Muslim world.
Meanwhile, officials reported that significant progress had been made in draining floodwater from Gujrat city, although a crack in the protective dam at Madina Syedan continued to delay the process. Government machinery and local volunteers are working to divert the water toward the Halsi stream to prevent further damage.
Maryam Nawaz stressed that health services on an “unprecedented scale” were being delivered to affected areas. She said an integrated programme had been launched to support women and children, who remain the most vulnerable in flood-hit regions.
Officials briefed that 968 mobile clinics and medical camps are currently operational, with doctors and paramedics providing round-the-clock care. Pregnant women are being offered regular check-ups, sanitary kits, multivitamins, and ambulance services to ensure timely transfers to health facilities. Specialist doctors are also visiting camps daily to provide treatment for children, while newborns are being vaccinated.
The camps are stocked with medicines for insect bites, stomach illnesses, skin infections, cholera, and malaria. In addition, screening and treatment are being provided for malnourished children across the affected districts.
