Monsoon rains continue to lash Lahore

–Police force steps in to help citizens amid heavy rainfall

LAHORE: Heavy monsoon rainfall continued to lash the provincial capital on Friday, slowing down city life due to the accumulation of water on roads.

Rainwater was seen standing still in various localities, including Johar Town, Ichhra, Muslim Town, Garden Town, Bahria Town, Mozang, Railway Road, Gawalmandi, Davis Road, Garhi Shahu, Canal Bank Road, Township, and adjacent areas.

A traffic mess owing to the watery roads was also observed across the city.

WASA officials said that the agency utilised heavy machinery and manpower, immediately after the rain, and water was drained out within two hours.

Met Office has forecasted similar weather conditions for the next 24 hours. An official of the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) said that some 34mm rain was recorded at Qurtaba Chowk.

He also said that weak monsoon currents from the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal were continuously penetrating the upper and central parts of the country and were likely to continue during the next 24 hours.

Rain-thundershowers are expected at isolated places in Malakand, Hazara, Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Lahore, Zhob divisions, Islamabad, Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan over the weekend while hot and humid weather might grip other parts of the country.

The maximum temperature recorded in Lahore on Friday was 35°C.

POLICE STEPS IN TO FACILITATE PEOPLE:

Meanwhile, all officers of Lahore police remained busy in helping citizens amid the heavy rains across the city.

According to a statement issued here, Lahore DIG Operations Shehzad Akbar directed all SPs, DSPs and SHOs to get on the roads and help the residents amid the rainfall.

“The police also tried its best to provide relief to the citizens by repairing and pushing their broken down vehicles in different areas of the city,” said the statement further.

It stated that on the DIG’s directives, police utilised all its resources to accommodate the citizens and Cantt SP Bilal Iftikhar supervised rescue activities at Bhatta Chowk, Walton road, Defence and other areas of the division. Police officials of the Civil Lines division, in the supervision of SP Muhammad Afzal, helped the citizens at Faisal Chowk, Governor House, Regal Chowk, and GPO Chowk.

Similarly, Iqbal Town SP Syed Ali monitored the rescue activities at Iqbal Town, Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Nawan Kot and Shera Kot. Sadar SP Maaz Ahmad supervised the rescue activities at Chung, Johar Town, Green Town, Hanjerwal and Nawab Town while City SP Ahsan Saifullah and Model Town SP Ali Waseem monitored the activities at Shahdara, Lohari Gate, Bhaati Gate, Ravi Road, Nishter Colony, Liaquatabad and Shadman for the facilitation of the masses.