Balochistan chief minister denies huge losses of life in Makran

Balochistan Chief Minister Jam Yousuf on Sunday denied huge loss of human lives in recent floods in Makran and other parts of the province since February 9 as reported by certain print and electronic media. He was addressing a press conference here on Sunday evening. Provincial Minister for Finance Syed Ehsan Shah and Deputy Speaker Balochistan Assembly Aslam Bhotani were also present.
The Chief Minister said he visited entire flood-affected areas along with the President Pervez Musharraf on Saturday. He said he had interviewed many people in different villages marooned by floodwater to assess the losses and damages and found that the casualties were fewer.
He, however, said the loss of agriculture land, Kutcha houses, tube-wells and crops was tremendous and the government is busy in collecting data from different districts after which the affected people would be properly compensated and helped under the directives of the President and Prime Minister.
He said a scrutiny committee would be formed on the directives of the President for the purpose.
To a question, the Chief Minister said earlier figures showing much higher deaths were the result of poor information sent from different quarters to the Crisis Management Cell as communication system and road network had totally broken down due to floods.
In this connection, he also mentioned a news channel for putting the casualties figures too high incorrectly.
He said that thirty-one bodies were recovered in Kech district. All were of the bus passengers drowned in floodwater of Shadi Kor.
Jam Yousuf further said that Hingol river is also in a state of very high flood as 0.1 million cusecs of water is still passing through it to the sea. He said the flood has damaged coastal highway between Ormara and Pasni while its Pasni-Gwadar section is safe.
He informed that some 30 to 40 villages have been affected in Gwadar district up to Iranian border, but the loss of life is very small.
Replying to a question about sub-standard construction of Shadi Kor dam, the Chief Minister said that the flood was unprecedented in the history of the area and, therefore, no one could be blamed for its destruction.
However, he said inquiry would be conducted of the incident and if someone found responsibility would be taken out.