PESHAWAR, (APP – UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News – 15th May, 2026) Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Muhammad Sohail Afridi, chaired a high-level meeting on the Provincial Monsoon Contingency Plan to review preparedness measures undertaken across the province in anticipation of monsoon rains, potential flooding, and related natural disasters.
The meeting was attended by senior officials from PDMA, Irrigation Department, Rescue 1122, Health Department, education Department, Communication and Works Department, Local Government Department, Forest Department, Tourism Department, and other relevant agencies.
Detailed briefings were presented on departmental preparedness and pre monsoon interventions.
Addressing the meeting, the chief minister emphasized that timely and coordinated preparedness measures are critical to safeguarding human lives, public assets, and essential infrastructure from large scale damage during the monsoon season.
He directed all concerned departments to ensure complete operational readiness ahead of time and warned that negligence or administrative complacency would not be tolerated under any circumstances.
He further directed that all required financial resources be released and utilized in a timely manner to support preparedness operations.
The meeting decided that District Emergency Operation Centers across all districts of the province would remain fully functional with round the clock duty rosters to ensure an immediate and coordinated emergency response mechanism.
The CM directed that vulnerability mapping of high-risk areas, Standard Operating Procedure training, and mock exercises be completed by June 15 without exception.
The meeting was informed that daily monitoring of glacial lakes, rivers, and rainfall patterns is already underway. A province wide campaign for the cleaning of drains, seasonal waterways, culverts, and sewerage lines is also in progress.
According to the briefing, cleaning work has been completed in 4,099 out of 4,802 drains, while approximately 598 kilometers out of more than 635 kilometers of drainage lines have already been cleared.
The chief minister directed that all remaining work be completed by May 30. Muhammad Sohail Afridi instructed the Irrigation Department to further accelerate flood protection works, ensure full operationalization of telemetry systems, and intensify anti encroachment operations along waterways.
The meeting was informed that 524 encroachments out of 794 identified cases had already been removed, while operations against the remaining encroachments were continuing. Officials from Rescue 1122 briefed the meeting that the Monsoon Contingency Plan had been finalized and water rescue points were being established in various districts.
He directed that verification of the availability and operational readiness of rescue equipment, boats, water pumps, and other emergency response machinery be completed by June 15.
He also instructed the Health Department to ensure adequate stocks of medicines, IV fluids, anti-snake venom, ORS, and other emergency medical supplies.
The meeting further decided that emergency stockpiles of tents, non-food items, medicines, and other relief materials would be pre-positioned before the onset of the monsoon season.
The CM directed PDMA to ensure the availability of all required non-food items before June 15 and ordered continuous assessment of the availability and demand for family tents, kitchen sets, hygiene kits, blankets, and other relief supplies.
He also directed that resource allocation be prioritized according to district specific needs and vulnerability indices.
The participants were informed that all districts had been instructed to submit updated stock positions to ensure adequate availability of emergency relief supplies prior to the monsoon season.
Relevant departments, including Irrigation, PDMA, and district administrations, have also been directed to operationalize full telemetry access on an immediate basis.
The meeting was informed that the process of establishing Community Based Disaster Risk Management Committees in all 36 districts of the province was nearing completion, with 1,214 out of 1,220 committees already notified. It was further decided that identification and preparation of relief camps in schools and CBDRM centers would be completed by May 25.
The Education Department informed the meeting that an Education Continuity Plan had been finalized for 185 camp schools.
The CM directed that evacuation and first response training for field staff be completed by May 30 and instructed all departments to immediately update contact lists of key officers and field personnel.
He also directed departments to ensure complete operational readiness of excavators, loaders, tractors, and other emergency machinery. As part of the public awareness strategy, the meeting decided to disseminate safety advisories, evacuation instructions, and emergency helpline information to the public.
He directed PESCO and the Forest Department to conduct immediate inspections of electricity poles, transformers, and hazardous trees.
The Forest Department informed the meeting that implementation of the pre monsoon fire prevention and wood log monitoring plan had already commenced.
The chief minister also directed authorities to complete legal and administrative measures for the imposition of Section 144 in flood prone areas to restrict bathing and fishing activities during the monsoon season.
He made it clear that any delay in rescue operations during emergencies would be unacceptable. Muhammad Sohail Afridi instructed the Communication and Works Department to ensure timely clearance, restoration of roads and uninterrupted connectivity during emergencies.
He further directed the relevant authorities to strengthen signage on national and provincial highways to ensure clearer operational delineation and improved coordination during emergency situations.
The Tourism Department informed the meeting that monitoring and safety measures had been further strengthened at major tourist destinations including Swat, Kaghan, Galliyat, Chitral, and Kumrat, while 156 Tourism Police personnel had already been deployed at key tourist locations.
The meeting also reviewed contingency plans prepared by various provincial departments and directed immediate rectification of identified gaps along with submission of updated plans.
Concluding the meeting, the chief minister emphasized that all institutions must perform their duties during the monsoon season with complete coordination, responsibility, and professionalism to ensure protection of the lives and property of the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
