PESHAWAR: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday visited the flood relief camps in district Nowshera and Charsadda of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa wherein he directed the authorities concerned to utilize all available resources for relief of flood victims.
The prime minister, who arrived here to review the rescue and relief activities in the flood-ravaged areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, was briefed about the flood situation in Kabul River.
The Prime Minister was accompanied by federal ministers Marriyum Aurangzeb and Murtaza Javed Abbasi, Adviser to PM Engineer Amir Muqam, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz KP Spokesman and Member Provincial Assembly, Ikhtiar Wali Khan and other party leaders.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met the flood-affected people in Nowshera and also distributed cheques of cash relief assistance among the flood-stricken people.
Shehbaz Sharif said the federal and provincial governments along with NDMA and Pak-Army are collectively working for the rehabilitation of the flood affected people.
Flash floods, torrential rains: Govt to reach out to friendly states, donors: PM
The PM said the government is providing one-million rupees compensation to those whose family members lost their lives in flood while twenty-five thousand rupees are being distributed among all flood-affected families.
Shehbaz Sharif expressed satisfaction over the necessary arrangements made for the relief of flood-affected people in the camps. He was informed that necessary items, tents, foods and medicines have been provided in all camps.
Chief Secretary Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Dr Shehzad Bangash, Deputy Commissioner Nowshera, NDMA and PDMA’s authorities briefed the Prime Minister about the ongoing rescue, relief and rehabilitation operations in Nowshera district following the devastating floods of the August 27 that wreaked havoc to people’s lives and properties besides infrastructure, standing crops, gardens and livestock.
Earlier, during the briefing at Mardan Bridge, the authorities apprised him of the ongoing rescue and relief operation as well as other facilities being provided to the displaced people at the relief camps.
It was told that medical camps had also been established to provide required medical support to the flood victims staying at camps as well as at their own houses.
He was informed that 70 relief and 11 medical camps were established for flood victims at tehsils Jhangira, Pabbi and Nowshera and assistance was being provided to the affectees. The Prime Minister was informed that the stoppage of Tarbela Dam’s water had helped passing off the flow of floods in River Kabul without causing further losses.
At the relief camp, he interacted with the people staying at the shelter camps and showed affection to the children.
He assured them that the government would provide them with all possible facilities at the camps and resolved not to leave them alone. He said the federal government, in collaboration with the Pakistan Army, was striving to provide maximum relief to the affected people.
He said that the federal government was providing Rs25,000 cash assistance each among the flood-hit families across the country to enable them to meet their immediate needs. Moreover, Rs1 million each would also be given to the families who had lost their dear ones.
Later, the Prime Minister left for Charsadda where he would interact with the flood victims and distribute cheques of cash assistance among the flood victims.
The Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif during visit to Charssada assured that the coalition government would not sit idle until all flood-stricken people were rehabilitated, and urged the philanthropists to rise for supporting the distressed countrymen.
Talking to the reporters during his visit to the relief camp established for the flood victims, said the Almighty had blessed the affluent people with great resources which needed to be spent for relief and rehabilitation of the flood-ravaged people.
On the occasion Engineer Amir Muqam, ANP provincial president Aimal Wali Khan, notables and others were present.
PM Shehbaz urged the philanthropists to arrange food, medicine, clothes or cash for the flood victims as a great service to humanity as millions of Pakistanis were looking towards them.
The Prime Minister said the flash floods had killed around 242 people in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and left hundreds of the people injured besides destroying hundreds of thousands of houses.
He also mentioned the crumbled buildings in Swat, Kalam and Dir areas located at the river banks due to the torrential rains.
He said all including the federal, provincial and regional governments, the Pakistan Army, the National Disaster Management Authority and provincial disaster management authorities had been collectively putting in their efforts for rescue, relief and rehabilitation of the flood victims.
The Prime Minister said that the federal government had allocated Rs28 billion to disburse Rs25,000 each among the flood affected families across the country, through the Benazir Income Support Programme. He assured that the federal government would also provide more funds if required.
Moreover, he said the federal government was also providing Rs1 million each for the families of those who lost their lives in the flash floods.
The PM Shehbaz Sharif said the torrential rains and flash floods had affected 33 million people across the country. The troops of the Pakistan Army had rescued around 200,000 people and the rehabilitation of the road infrastructure was also underway by the NDMA and PDMAs.
“This is not the time to do politicking. This is time to support the distressed people for rehabilitation of their houses,” he added.
Referring to his interaction with the leadership of Turkey, Iran and UAE, the Prime Minister said the aid from the friendly countries had started pouring in, besides the assurance from the UK, World Bank, World Food Programme and other international organizations.
He said he would visit flood-hit Kohistan, Swat and Dir areas and also hinted at declaring those as calamity-hit areas considering the magnitude of the destruction.
Earlier, the Prime Minister also visited the relief camp and interacted with the flood-affected people and assured them of the government’s all-out support for their relief and rehabilitation. He also distributed cheques for cash relief assistance among the flood victim families.
Later, he will also visit the site of Mohmand Dam where he will be briefed about the project.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2022
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