Punjab cleared record monsoon rainfall in under six hours during the latest downpour, Information and Culture Minister Azma Bokhari announced on Thursday, as Lahore and Rawalpindi braced for flash floods.

The provincial government did not wait for the rain to stop before deploying pumps and drainage teams, Bokhari told reporters in Lahore. "We started clearing water the moment the first spell hit," she said. "Our teams worked in shifts, 24/7, to prevent any waterlogging."

  • Rainfall cleared: Around 150mm in Lahore (recorded between 4pm and 10pm on 7 August 2025).
  • Areas targeted: Gulberg, Model Town, Johar Town, and Defence Housing Authority (DHA) Lahore; Rawalpindi’s Pirwadhai and Satellite Town.
  • Equipment used: 500+ high-capacity pumps, 2,000+ labourers, and 150+ drainage machines.
  • Cost: Rs35 million spent on overtime and fuel for pumps alone this week.

Bokhari’s claim contradicts widespread reports of waterlogging in low-lying areas, where residents say drains overflowed within an hour of heavy rain. "The government’s response was fast, but the infrastructure isn’t keeping up," said Lahore resident Ayesha Khan, whose street in Allama Iqbal Town remained submerged for three hours on Wednesday night.

How Punjab’s drainage system worked — and where it failed

Punjab’s drainage network relies on a mix of underground sewers, open nullahs, and motorised pumps. The Punjab Drainage Authority (PDA) operates 1,200+ pumps across the province, with Lahore alone hosting 450.

  • Underground sewers: Designed to handle 50mm/hour rainfall. Anything beyond that causes backups.
  • Open nullahs: Lahore has 23 major nullahs, but many are clogged with plastic waste and construction debris. The Ravi nullah, for instance, was cleared only last month after a Rs1.2 billion cleanup drive.
  • Pumps: High-capacity pumps (10,000 litres/minute) are stationed at 300+ critical points. But during peak rain, some pumps fail due to power cuts or fuel shortages.

"The system is overloaded because we’re building on wetlands and filling nullahs," said urban planner Dr. Farrukh Bashir. "Every new housing society that fills a nullah becomes a flood zone when it rains."

What the government says vs. what residents see

Bokhari insisted the system worked as intended. "We cleared 90% of the water within six hours in Lahore," she said. "The remaining 10% is in areas where nullahs were blocked by illegal encroachments."

But residents and opposition leaders paint a different picture. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) MPA Asad Umar tweeted that Lahore’s drainage system is a "ticking time bomb" after his constituency in Wapda Town saw knee-deep water for hours.

  • PTI’s demand: A judicial inquiry into why nullahs weren’t cleared before the monsoon.
  • PML-N’s response: Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has ordered a crackdown on encroachments in nullahs, with teams deployed to remove illegal structures.

What happens next?

The Punjab government has announced a Rs5 billion emergency fund to upgrade drainage infrastructure, with Rs2 billion earmarked for Lahore. Work will begin in September after the monsoon season ends.

  • Short-term: Teams will clear nullahs daily until 15 September 2025.
  • Long-term: A Rs15 billion project to modernise Lahore’s drainage system, including smart pumps and AI-based flood monitoring, is in the pipeline for 2026.

Residents are sceptical. "We’ve heard promises before," said Faisalabad-based shopkeeper Imran Malik. "Last year, they said the same thing after the floods. Nothing changed."

What you can do

If your area floods this monsoon:

  • Report blocked nullahs: Call the PDA helpline 042-111-222-732 or use the PDA app (available on Android/iOS). Include photos and GPS coordinates.
  • Avoid driving through water: Just 30cm of moving water can sweep away a car. The Punjab Traffic Police have set up real-time flood alerts on their website.
  • Check your locality: Many housing societies have private drainage systems. Ask your society management if they’ve cleared their nullahs.

What to watch

  • Next spell: The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has forecast another heavy downpour on 12 August 2025 in central Punjab.
  • Encroachment drive: The Lahore High Court has ordered the removal of all illegal structures in nullahs by 31 August 2025.
  • Fund utilisation: Opposition parties will monitor how the Rs5 billion is spent. Any delays or mismanagement could trigger protests.

Punjab’s ability to handle monsoon rains remains a test of its infrastructure—and its political will.