The units of armed forces, stationed nearby the rains and flood-affected areas of Balochistan, moved quickly to carry out relief operations under the standing operative procedure, Inter Services Public Relations director-general Major-General Shaukat Sultan said on Monday.
Talking to PTV, the ISPR director-general said the armed forces have a set procedure to respond in any calamity-like situation without receiving orders from the headquarters.
Under the strategy, commanders of the units stationed nearby the area of any incident themselves decide to carry out rescue and relief work without taking formal approval for the time being, he added.
He said contingents of Frontier Corps deployed near the Ketch River, pulled out 500 women and children from the low-lying areas after getting information of flood in the river at 0300 hours.
They got the area vacated in time and shifted people to higher grounds which helped rescuing several precious lives, he added.
Similarly, the coastguards pulled out 10 people from water when the Shadi Kor Dam breached, he said, adding that it was not a proper dam, it was a check dam built of mud.
It is a catchment area where local people in collaboration with the government store water to meet their requirements of drinking water and cultivation.
He said Gwadar and Suntsar are the worst affected areas of the province while Turbat, Ketch, Pasni, Ormara, Bela, Coastal and ROD highways were affected badly.
He said all efforts are being made to restore the infrastructure for smooth supply of relief goods to affected areas.
About relief activities, he said focus is being given to provide tents, blankets, clean drinking water and edibles.
He said 'tent villages' have been set up on higher grounds to provide shelter to homeless people.
The ISPR director-general said coastal areas are not much cold so provision of blankets would be sufficient for the people to protect them from weather conditions.
He said C-130 aircraft are engaged in supplying relief goods to the affected areas. Besides, medical camps have been set up at various parts of the province to provide medical assistance, he added.
To a question about crises management cell at national level, he said an emergency relief cell was operating under the cabinet division.
Under that cell, on the special directives of Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, Information Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmad went to Balochistan by C-130 aircraft, carrying relief goods on Sunday, he said. To another question, Shaukat Sultan said there should be proper security arrangements on small check dams to avoid any untoward situation in future.
There must be spillways, safety valves and regulators to control water of these dams, he added.
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