“All streets animals in Sialkot perished in floods,” says activist

An activist from Lahore, assisting with flood relief efforts in Sialkot amid recent deluges, said that street animals were unable to find shelter and perished in the flooding.

Asma Khawar Khawaja shared videos of herself helping flood victims and raising funds to support those affected. In the videos, she was seen moving through floodwaters to deliver food to people stranded in submerged areas.

During her on-ground relief work, she revealed the grim reality that all street animals in Sialkot had perished.

“While humans were able to save their lives by moving to the upper floors of their homes, the voiceless animals could not protect themselves. They are all gone,” Khawaja said.

She urged humans to take responsibility for protecting animals, who cannot ask for help but face the full brunt of such disasters, while humans can still seek assistance through various resources.

Several areas in Sialkot and across Punjab experienced severe flooding after India released water from upstream dams, causing the Ravi, Chenab, and Sutlej rivers to overflow to alarming levels.

Read: ‘Bodies floating in floodwater came from across the border,’ says Khawaja Asif

Earlier this week, Sialkot recorded its heaviest one-day rainfall in nearly five decades, according to the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD).

The city received over 363 millimeters of rain in 24 hours, surpassing the previous record of 339 mm set on August 6, 1976.