By Ayesha Saba
ISLAMABAD, Oct 18 (Wealth Pakistan): Pakistan flood infrastructure losses have surpassed Rs307 billion as torrential rains and flash floods between June and September 2025 destroyed thousands of kilometres of roads, bridges, and power lines, severely disrupting the nation’s transport and energy networks, according to a preliminary assessment issued by the Ministry of Planning, Development and Special Initiatives.
The official document shows that more than 2,811 kilometres of roads and 790 bridges were destroyed or rendered unusable across the country. Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan, and Azad Jammu and Kashmir experienced the heaviest structural losses, while mountainous areas reported near-total collapse of link bridges due to landslides and cloudbursts.
The ministry warned that the breakdown of transport and logistics networks has reduced the sector’s projected growth for FY2026 by almost two percentage points.
“The transport and storage sector is now expected to grow only 1.5 percent, less than half its original target of 3.4 percent,” the report stated. “This slowdown will ripple through agriculture, industry, and commerce, all of which depend on reliable logistics.”
For more details, visit the Ministry of Planning and Development.
Power grids and transport networks among worst hit
Beyond transport, the power infrastructure also sustained significant damage — with collapsed transmission lines, uprooted poles, broken transformers, and disrupted grids causing prolonged blackouts in flood-hit regions.
Preliminary estimates place losses to the energy sector at around Rs25 billion, while the electricity, gas, and water supply subsector is now forecast to grow 2.8 percent instead of 3.5 percent.
The report emphasized that the collapse of bridges in Battagram, Gilgit-Baltistan, and AJK revealed the vulnerability of high-altitude infrastructure to extreme weather. It recommended “climate-resilient engineering, improved hydrological mapping, and flood-resistant materials” in future reconstruction.
More information on infrastructure resilience is available from the National Disaster Management Authority.
Financial breakdown and institutional response
Provincial submissions appended to the report indicate that the National Highway Authority (NHA) alone incurred over Rs14.4 billion in damages to federal roads. Provincial departments jointly reported losses exceeding Rs137 billion.
Pakistan Railways also recorded Rs3.79 billion in losses, including 16.2 kilometres of damaged track and Rs2.6 billion in revenue shortfalls from ticket refunds and suspended freight operations.
Economists cited in the report warned that continued supply-chain disruption will raise transport costs, delay industrial shipments, and fuel inflation already driven by agricultural losses.
The ministry cautioned that unless reconstruction begins urgently, Pakistan flood infrastructure losses could hinder export competitiveness and broader economic recovery.
For financial projections, see the Asian Development Bank’s Pakistan Disaster Resilience profile.
Long-term reconstruction and resilience planning
Rehabilitation experts estimate that rebuilding damaged infrastructure could take five to ten years, depending on funding availability and access to remote areas.
The government plans to allocate Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) funds for road restoration and bridge reconstruction under “build-back-better” principles designed to enhance disaster resistance.
“The 2025 floods exposed critical weaknesses in national infrastructure and drainage planning,” the report concluded. “Future development must integrate disaster-resilient design, early-warning systems, and climate-informed budgeting across all sectors.”