Rain Victims in Rawalpindi Left Without Relief

The keyword Rawalpindi floods has left thousands of residents devastated, but victims say they received no help from the administration. Families who lost loved ones, along with traders who suffered millions in damages, remain without financial support. The lack of immediate relief has forced many to cope on their own, deepening public anger.

Flood Season Extended but No Assistance

This year’s monsoon rains were the heaviest Rawalpindi has faced in recent memory. The district administration extended the flood season until September 1, a full two weeks beyond the usual August 15 deadline. The season began with pre-monsoon rains on June 15, but the damage has been far greater than in previous years.

Despite the severity, officials admitted they could not provide relief funds due to financial constraints. Neither the families of victims nor those whose homes and businesses were submerged received any compensation.

Camps Without Support

The district set up nine relief camps in schools and colleges, but none of them saw families seek shelter. The reason was simple: no food, medicine, or basic aid was available. As schools reopen on September 1, these camps will be dismantled without having served a single victim.

The absence of proper arrangements has fueled criticism. Citizens argue the camps were only symbolic and offered no real protection for those hit hardest by the disaster.

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Torrential Rains Cause Destruction

In 2025, Rawalpindi endured five major floods in both the city and cantonment areas. Torrential downpours left residential neighborhoods, shops, plazas, and markets under three to five feet of water. Traders lost goods worth millions of rupees. Residents saw their homes ruined and their savings wiped out overnight.

Among the most tragic incidents, five people drowned. One victim, a retired colonel, died alongside his daughter. Her body has yet to be recovered. Even in these cases, families received no financial assistance.

Anger Against the Administration

The administration’s failure to respond has provoked outrage. Victims, citizens, and business owners say they feel abandoned by the authorities. Shopkeepers who lost everything in Raja Bazaar, Mochi Bazaar, and Moti Bazaar have not been visited by officials for even a basic damage survey.

Citizen Action Committee Chairman Malik Zaheer Awan said repeated appeals were ignored. He noted that four to five major floods this year destroyed property and goods worth millions, yet the administration did not even conduct an assessment.

Emergency Operations Winding Down

From September 1, the flood emergency will officially end. The district control room will stop its 24-hour monitoring and return to normal office hours. Staff from multiple departments will be withdrawn, leaving only Civil Defence volunteers and Rescue 1122 to keep watch over flood-related risks.

This step has further angered residents who feel relief efforts are ending while many areas remain waterlogged and unsafe.

Worst-Hit Localities

Floodwaters struck both low-income neighborhoods and commercial hubs. Areas like Nadeem Colony, Javed Colony, Arya Mohallah, and Dhoke Elahi Bakhsh were submerged. Traders in Raja Bazaar, Mochi Bazaar, Trunk Bazaar, and Moti Bazaar suffered severe losses.

Low-lying residential areas such as Dhoke Hassu, Dhoke Ratta, Mohanpura, and Fauji Colony were also inundated. Localities around the River Sawan, Nala Lai, and 15 seasonal drains bore the brunt of the flooding.

The damage cut across all segments of society. Affluent neighborhoods were not spared, proving the scale of the crisis.

Citizens Left to Recover Alone

With no surveys carried out and no funds available, victims now face the recovery process without government support. Families are relying on their own limited resources, while traders attempt to rebuild businesses with borrowed money.

The government’s inability to act has created a sense of abandonment. Many fear that if such heavy rains return next year, Rawalpindi will once again face devastation without preparation or relief.