Balochistan Assembly seeks to declare flood-hit areas as calamity-hit

The lawmakers in the Monday session unanimously passed resolution seeking declaring flood-stricken districts of Balochistan as calamity-hit areas. The assembly session started with Deputy Speaker Syed Matiullah Agha in the chair.
The movers including Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs Mir Abdul Rehman Jamali, Pakistan Muslim League-Q MPA Sheikh Jaffar Mandokhel and MPA Tariq Bugti tabled the resolution that reads that heavy torrential rains and flash floods have devastated standing crops on over 700,000 acres of land in Naseerabad, Jaffarabad, Dera Bugti, Jhal Magsi and Musakhel districts. It further said that flash flood had washed away several villages and cattle of local people.
The resolution demanded of the government to declare these districts as calamity-hit areas besides compensating the flood-affected people. Delivering his speech, Mir Jamali appreciated the Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf for visiting flood-hit eastern parts of Balochistan and announcing Rs 2.6 billion package for relief and rehabilitation. He also thanked the Pakistan Army for carrying out rescue operation in the flood-stricken areas. He said that still, thousands of people were marooned in floodwater. He demanded sufficient measures to provide relief to the flood-victims.
Bugti said that flash floods had killed a number of people in Dera Bugti districts and destroyed standing crops on thousands of acres of land. He demanded of the government to write off agricultural loans of the farmers of the flood-hit areas. Minister for Information Technology, Begam Shama Parveen Magsi said that flood torrents from Khuzdar, Sui, Lehri, Dera Bugti and Marri agency played havoc at a large scale in Jhal Magsi and devastated standing crops. She demanded adequate funds for rebuilding of infrastructure and relief work.
Senior Minister for Planning and Development Maulana Abdul Wasey demanded of the government to allocate Rs 15 billion for complete rehabilitation of flood-stricken people and rebuilding of damaged infrastructure in Balochistan. Later, after completion of other proceedings, the house was adjourned till September 27.