Between August and September 2025, the Punjab region of Pakistan suffered one of the worst floods in its history. In this territory where rivers are an element of identity (the word Punjab itself derives from the Persian Panj-āb, "five rivers") and a source of livelihood for millions of inhabitants, water cyclically also proves to be the main source of risk. Record monsoon rains and releases from dams across the border have caused three of the five main rivers that cross the territory, the Ravi, the Sutlej and the Chenab, to overflow, devastating the vast areas that live on agriculture around their banks.
Over 2000 villages have been completely submerged and more than 2 million people have been forced to leave their homes, while the victims are counted in the dozens. More than 1.05 million acres of farmland have been destroyed, causing incalculable damage to vital crops such as rice, maize, cotton and sugarcane. The economic damage is very serious, with entire communities deprived of their livelihoods, while the risk of epidemics and malnutrition grows every day.
The Order of Friars Minor is present in Pakistan with the Autonomous Custody of St. John the Baptist, which has over 60 friars distributed between Karachi and Lahore. The Friars Minor point out the seriousness of the situation and their commitment to provide concrete answers to families who have lost all forms of livelihood and to people in need of medical care, doing everything possible to avoid a humanitarian catastrophe.
Local communities need food assistance, drinking water, basic non-food items (cooking utensils, hygiene kits), health care and safeguarding the livelihoods still present. For this reason, they have launched an emergency project that aims to reduce the suffering of a large number of people.
The project aims to distribute food parcels and basic necessities to 1,000 families and to establish medical camps for the benefit of about 500 individuals in need of primary and urgent care.
To support the work of the Friars Minor in favor of the victims of the flood, the OFM Fraternitas Foundation has started a fundraiser: click here to offer your help.
