PESHAWAR: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday blamed ‘human negligence’ for the massive destruction in Swat Valley after downpours caused unprecedented flooding in the scenic area.
Describing building of hotels on the banks of rivers in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as “inappropriate”, he said that there were gross building code violations in Swat.
The prime minister said that the destruction and losses caused by the recent flash floods were never before witnessed in the country. “Buildings were extended into the middle of the river. No law allows for this,” he said.
Most of the buildings built along the riverbanks in the Hazara Division, including in Kalam and Balakot, that were either damaged or destroyed due to flooding were hotels and guesthouses, rather than residential structures.
Shehbaz Sharif was addressing a gathering during his visit to flood-affected areas in Dera Ismail Khan district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
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He said that unprecedented floods in the country had caused heavy losses to lives and infrastructure and emphasised the need for putting in place a sustainable system to cope with the challenges of climate change in future.
Trillions of rupees were required to carry out relief and rehabilitation works in the flood-hit areas, he said. However, he added that the entire process would be carried out in a transparent manner.
Mr Sharif said that the country was grappling with an unprecedented situation. With the assistance provided by a philanthropist, the first 100 prefabricated houses, having two rooms and a toilet, would be built in DI Khan district to accommodate widows and orphans.
He said the houses would be built within two weeks and he would personally visit the site to determine if the project could be replicated by the government in other parts of the country.
The prime minister also outlined the damages sustained by the crops and livestock, which normally provide the means of livelihood to the locals. He said the government had ordered the purchase of 0.2 million tents with an aim to providing shelter to the homeless.
Mr Sharif lauded the efforts of Minister for Communications Maulana Asad Mahmood and Army Chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa for trying to expedite the relief and rehabilitation activities. He also acknowledged the donations sent by the friendly nations to help Pakistan overcome the challenges.
Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman received the premier when he arrived in the district to visit the affected areas. The two leaders were briefed on the damages in the region by administrative officers.
In his briefing, DI Khan’s deputy commissioner told the two leaders that heavy rains between August 17 and 27 wreaked havoc in the district, with a whopping 70 percent of the population getting affected by the floods. He said that the hill torrents flowing from west to east swept away a large number of structures before falling into the Indus.
On the occasion, Mr Rehman pointed out that had a sufficient number of small and large dams been built in the region, the floods could have been controlled. He urged the federal government to work on building dams and dykes to protect the population.
The prime minister also visited the Sago Bridge, which was affected by the floods. The bridge is located on the N-50 National Highway that connects DI Khan with Kuchlak.
The PDM chief thanked the prime minister for the relief and other works carried out by the authorities and told him that people who had fled to safe areas to escape the floods were now returning to their homes which needed to be rebuilt. He said that many people were still stranded in Kohistan region while Swat had experienced widespread destruction.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2022
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