The Pakistani government has formally requested the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to defer electricity bills for residents of flood-affected areas for three months.

The move comes on the instructions of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, as millions across Punjab and Sindh reel from the devastation caused by recent floods.

According to Finance Ministry officials, the IMF has asked for detailed flood damage data before taking a decision. The Power Division has been directed to provide the necessary information this week.

The request seeks to temporarily suspend power bill payments in flood-hit regions, where residents have already lost homes, crops, and livestock.

Proposals under consideration

Officials said the government is reviewing multiple relief measures. These include extending support through the Benazir Income Support Program (BISP) and designing a separate flood relief package.

The government has already declared an agricultural emergency and is expected to announce a special farmers’ support package soon.

Flood damage across Punjab

Severe flooding in the Chenab, Ravi, and Sutlej rivers has submerged vast tracts of land, displacing millions and leaving families without homes.

So far, the hardest-hit districts include Gujarat, Gujranwala, Sialkot, Narowal, Muzaffargarh, Multan, and Bahawalpur. Nearly 6,500 animals have perished, and standing crops on 1.32 million acres of farmland have been inundated.

The government has declared an agriculture emergency, but officials note that the full extent of crop losses will only be clear once floodwaters recede.

IMF engagement, economic pressure

The IMF mission is scheduled to arrive in Pakistan by the third week of September 2025. The Finance Ministry is reviewing options to seek relaxation on the primary budget surplus and provincial cash surplus targets, given the scale of losses.

Officials are also preparing a farmer support package, modeled after relief efforts following the 2022 floods, to help rural communities rebuild.

NDMA briefing and food supply impact

This week, a delegation of federal secretaries visited the National Emergencies Operation Center (NEOC) at NDMA headquarters, where they were briefed on monsoon damages and ongoing relief efforts.

Floods have disrupted supplies of perishable goods, pushing up prices of essentials. According to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS), inflation rose 5.03% year-on-year during the week ending September 11, 2025.

The steepest price hikes were recorded in tomatoes (91%), sugar (29.3%), wheat flour (18.7%), pulses (15%), and beef (12%). However, weekly inflation eased slightly due to a 10% drop in wheat flour prices after corrective measures by the Punjab government.