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ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s disaster agency on Thursday issued a high alert for Sindh as heavy monsoon rains and swollen rivers threatened to inundate large parts of the southern province, even as Punjab, the country’s most populous region, remained under severe pressure from surging Chenab River flows.

Nationwide, more than 883 people have died in rains, floods and landslides since the monsoon season began on June 26, according to the NDMA, reviving memories of Pakistan’s catastrophic 2022 deluges when a third of the country was submerged, 30 million displaced and economic losses exceeded $35 billion.

On Thursday evening, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) said Sindh’s southern districts including Thatta, Sujawal, Badin, Tharparkar, Umerkot, Sanghar, Karachi, Hyderabad and Jamshoro could see heavy downpours in the coming days, while the northern districts of Sukkur, Ghotki, Larkana, Khairpur, Dadu and Jacobabad were also at risk.

With flood peaks still moving downstream from Punjab, the alert warned of “high to very high” flooding along the eastern rivers, urging residents of riverine areas to evacuate without delay.

“Your lives are precious, and no unnecessary risk should be taken in the face of natural calamities,” First Lady Bibi Aseefa Bhutto Zardari told communities during a preparedness visit to embankments near Nawabshah.

She inspected protective structures and relief camps, praising local authorities for round-the-clock monitoring and rescue readiness.

“Effective coordination between departments, close monitoring, and advanced planning are essential if we are to manage this challenge successfully,” Bhutto Zardari added.

PUNJAB CRISIS

In Punjab, home to half of Pakistan’s 240 million people and often described as the country’s breadbasket, officials said nearly 3.9 million people had been affected, 1.8 million displaced, and 46 killed in floods since late August. Thousands of villages have been submerged.

Punjab Disaster Management Authority chief Irfan Ali Kathia said the next 24 hours were “extremely critical” for Multan, a city of 2.6 million and the main economic hub of southern Punjab. Multan.

“The main surge of the Chenab has already reached Head Muhammad Wala at its peak and is now moving downstream,” he told reporters.

Kathia added that the Sher Shah Bridge flood gauge near Multan had reached 393.4 feet, against a danger mark of 393.5 feet, leaving only a few inches of space.

If authorities were forced to open a breaching section to relieve pressure, he said, 27 settlements including Shershah, Akbarpur and Mirzapur, home to around 35,000 people, could be inundated.

RIVER FLOWS

Fresh PDMA data from Thursday morning showed the Chenab easing at some upstream points but worsening downstream. Flows at Marala dropped sharply to around 117,000 cusecs from 192,000 recorded the previous evening, and at Khanki fell from 253,600 to 248,800 cusecs. Qadirabad also declined, from 489,000 to 385,000 cusecs.

But the danger has shifted further downstream: at Chiniot bridge levels climbed to nearly 555,000 cusecs, up from 540,000 only hours earlier, while gauges at Riwaz Bridge and Head Muhammad Wala edged higher and Sher Shah Bridge held just inches below its maximum capacity.

On the Ravi, flows steadied or fell slightly at most points, with Jassar down to 80,000 cusecs from 84,000, though Balloki remained elevated at nearly 139,000. On the Sutlej, Ganda Singh Wala dipped modestly to 319,000 cusecs from 327,000, while Panjnad surged to 224,000 from 200,500, suggesting pressure building in the south.

NORTHERN AREAS

Separately, the NDMA warned of landslides in Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu & Kashmir from Sept. 4–8, citing high risk in Muzaffarabad, Neelum Valley, Haveli, Bagh, Poonch and Sudhnuti.

Heavy rains could block the Karakoram Highway and other routes in Torghar, Batagram, Shangla, Lower Kohistan, Gilgit, Hunza, Rondhu, Skardu and Chitral.

ISLAMABAD: A skills development institute in Islamabad has been chosen as one of seven winners of the prestigious Aga Khan Architecture Award 2025, awarded for the design of its building which has been inspired by both Pakistani and Arab traditions, state media reported on Thursday.

Developed by Islamabad-based architectural firm DB Studios, ‘Vision Pakistan’ is a multistory skills development institute in Islamabad whose architectural elements draw inspiration from both Pakistan and Arab traditions.

The Agha Khan Architecture Award 2025, founded in 1977, seeks to identify and encourage building concepts that successfully address the needs and aspirations of societies across the world in which Muslims have a significant presence.

“Vision Pakistan, a skill development institute based in Islamabad, has been honored with the Aga Khan Award for Architecture 2025, one of the most prestigious accolades in the field of design and urban development,” the state-run Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) said in its report.

“Infused with architectural elements drawn from both Pakistani and Arab traditions, the building stands as the heart of a charitable initiative committed to equipping young individuals with practical skills and renewed purpose.”

The project was one of seven winners chosen from Bangladesh, China, Egypt, Iran, Palestine and Pakistan. Each winning project was recognized for its “exceptional design” and social impact, the state-run media said.

Designed by architect Saifullah Siddiqui, Vision Pakistan is a vocational center for underprivileged youth and offers them training in tailoring, literacy and life skills, according to the APP.

Siddiqui said his team always factors in climate change for every project, applying sustainable design principles throughout their work.

“The building itself draws inspiration from Pakistani and Arab architectural traditions, blending cultural heritage with contemporary functionality,” Siddiqui said, according to the APP.

His client Rushda Tariq Qureshi said the project was “aesthetically remarkable and socially transformative.”

“This is more than just a beautiful space,” APP quoted her as saying. “Any young person who has never been part of an organized classroom or envisioned a brighter future finds this place completely transformative.”

The report said the award was a “proud moment” for Pakistan’s architectural community, highlighting the role of designing in uplifting lives and promoting inclusive development.