A boat, carrying 40 people, including women and children, capsized in the Sutlej River in Haveli Lakha near the Okara district.
According to reports, rescuers have so far retrieved 5 bodies. Three of the deceased are children.
The wooden boat was plying between Haveli Lakha and Manchanabad villages
The search operation is going on despite darkness.
Okara Deputy Commissioner and Rescue 1122 District Officerare are supervising the operation following the directives of Punjab CM Mohsin Naqvi.
All resources should be used to save human lives, he added.