Pakistan needs no foreign assistance to meet the challenges of the disastrous cyclone and flood in the coastal areas of Balochistan and NWFP, said Major General Waheed Arshad, Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) here on Saturday.
"Pakistan is capable to cope with the situation arising after the disastrous cyclone and flood and it is government policy not to receive any assistance from abroad", the DG ISPR said while briefing the newsmen about the latest situation of the relief operation in the flood affected areas.
He admitted delay in relief operation but said that it was unprecedented and the information on cyclone was not clear. "We have almost covered all the affected areas but bad weather is main hurdle in rescue as it could only be made through helicopters due to damages caused to road network", he said.
He also admitted the clashes between affected people and local administration over distribution and delay of relief goods and said that affected people have eyes on relief for survival and any delay might irritate them.
He said that relief camps were set up at Turbat, Naseerabad and Jafferabad besides medical camps were also set up to give medical care to affected people. He said that the relief operations being carried out by Pakistan armed forces were continued in rain and flood hit areas of Balochistan amid rough weather as 10,000 flood-affected people have been shifted to safer places within two days.
He said that the flashfloods have killed more than 250 people and affected 700,000 to 800,000 people in these two provinces. It left more than 80,000 persons homeless. "This approximate figure as rescue and relief operation is being affected by bad weather condition in these areas", he added.
General Waheed said that C-130 aeroplanes and military helicopters are taking part in the relief and rescue operations in the province. Two C-130 are engaged in relief operations in Turbat, while helicopters were carrying operations in Bolan, Sibi, Turbat and Pasni districts of Balochistan, he said adding that more helicopters were being sent to Turbat to speed up relief work in the area.
The DG ISPR said that two more C-130 aircraft are due to leave for Balochistan later today. He said so far fifty tonnes of relief goods have been dispatched and distributed among the affectees in the province.
He said six helicopters are engaged in round the clock rescue and relief operation in Balochistan and additional helicopters are being sent to Turbat, Gawadar, Bolan and Jhal Magsi today.
Edibles and other essential items are also being dispatched to the calamity-hit areas, DG ISPR said adding that more than 50 tonnes food and other edibles were distributes on Friday, while more edibles and relief goods are being transported by helicopters and 4000 tonnes by navy ship.
Coastal Highway and RCD Highway have been damaged at seven points and several bridges spanning from 800 metre to one kilometre were also washed away in the floodwaters, he said adding that the floodwater has also damaged 280-kilometre-long railway track. Frontier Corps troops worked hard on maintenance of railway track and passed three stranded trains and provided food and other essentials to stranded passengers, he said as soon as possible.
To a question General Waheed said there was no cantonment near coastal area, which was the main reason of delay in relief and rescue operation. He said that troops were called from Quetta and Karachi Cantonments for relief operation.
He said that information centres were set up at Quetta , Karachi and Peshawar Cantonments, besides sub information centres in every district of the flood affected areas.
He said that flood has caused damages to Peshawar Turkham road as major bridge at Hajul was wiped out by floodwater. Pakistan army personnel have restored the light traffic but the heavy traffic is still suspended on this Pak-Afghan highway.
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