A massive breach has washed away a large section of the Multan-Sukkur Motorway (M5) near Jalalpur Pirwala. This disaster struck on September 20, 2025, severing a critical transport link and leaving the region isolated for the eighth day in a row.
The breach expanded quickly due to relentless water pressure from the Sutlej River, swallowing all six lanes of both directions and grinding all traffic to a halt between southern and central Punjab. Thousands of vehicles remain stranded, and supply chains have suffered significant disruption.
“This is the second major rupture to cripple the M5,” said an Irrigation Department official. “Floodwaters continue to widen the breach. Emergency teams are working nonstop, placing boulders in an attempt to stabilise the affected ground.”
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— AbbTakk (@AbbTakk) September 20, 2025The Sutlej River has formed a 20 to 25-kilometre-long inland lake between Gilani Road and the M5, submerging vast stretches of the motorway and nearby villages. Water is rerouting via a prior breach in Norja Bhutta, further flooding adjacent areas.
In response, the Punjab government has intensified contingency measures. They have started geotagging and physically verifying wheat stocks across warehouses to prevent a potential wheat supply crisis triggered by floods washing away farmlands and storage in central districts.
The government recently imposed restrictions on wheat trade between provinces. This move resulted in sharp price increases by up to 68% in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and sparked protests from Sindh and KP officials. The restrictions aim to ensure Punjab maintains enough stock to meet local demand and avoid shortages.
