UK vows £1.33m for Pakistan’s flood relief efforts

ISLAMABAD: The United Kingdom has pledged £1.33 million in humanitarian assistance to support Pakistan’s response to the devastating impacts of the 2025 monsoon season.

According to officials, the aid package will benefit more than 223,000 people across seven flood-hit districts in Punjab, Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).

A statement said the UK support covers a wide range of emergency and recovery measures, including the distribution of dry food rations, search and rescue operations, mobile medical camps, rehabilitation of drinking water systems, restoration of irrigation channels, and assistance for livelihoods and agriculture.

“Through UK-funded programmes, vital assistance is reaching communities affected by flooding and landslides,” British High Commissioner Jane Marriott said. “Working closely with national and provincial authorities and partners, the UK remains committed to strengthening Pakistan’s disaster response and resilience,” she added

As part of this support, the UK has trained 2,400 community volunteers for search and rescue operations across Pakistan’s vulnerable districts. Twenty-five volunteers from Charsadda have joined Rescue 1122’s efforts in Buner, providing crucial help at a time when many people remain missing or trapped under debris.

Mobile medical camps are being set up in areas where health clinics have been damaged, ensuring continued access to essential healthcare. Non-food items, food rations, shelter materials, and dignity kits for women are being distributed to displaced families.

Meanwhile, United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN OCHA) District Coordinators in Swat and Buner are helping to coordinate the work of humanitarian organisations on the ground, ensuring aid is delivered effectively and efficiently.

Torrential downpours over the last week have caused flooding and landslides that swept away entire villages, leaving hundreds dead and dozens missing. Nearly 750 people have died since the monsoon season began.

The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) said on Wednesday that eleven more people died in GB, while more than 400 people have been killed in KP since last Thursday.