Flood-affected areas: Rs 2 billion earmarked for reconstruction activities in Jaffarabad: NDMA chief

Dr Zafar Iqbal Qadir, Chairman National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), has said that some Rs 2 billion has been earmarked for the reconstruction activities in Jaffarabad flood-affected areas of Balochistan. Talking to newsmen at a relief goods handing over ceremony here on Tuesday, he said that due to poor infrastructure and development work, there were some difficulties to drain out the flood water from Jaffarabad and other areas of Balochistan.
Mobilink has delivered over 120 tons of food and water supplies to the Pakistan Navy, as flood relief for over 14,000 flood victims of Balochistan during a ceremony presided over by Dr Zafar Iqbal Qadir and Rear Admiral Zafar Abbasi, Commander (Coast), Pakistan Navy. Qadir said that NDMA had started special food programme worth Rs 600 million for flood victims to provide quality food on daily basis.
"I would like to appreciate the efforts made by corporate sector particularly Mobilink, which taking lead amongst the corporate sector for flood relief activities over the last three years. Mobilink's support of the NDMA's disaster relief efforts and their continuing partnership with the Pakistan Navy is an integral component of our flood disaster management initiative," he said.
On the occasion Rear Admiral Zafar Abbasi said that flood rescue and relief operations have been the Pakistan's Navy's priority over the last few weeks. The support provided by Mobilink will be instrumental in helping us reach out to victims in Balochistan. He said that Pak Navy had set-up a medical camp at Jaffarabad and so far about 10,000 patients had been attended; besides a mobile medical team was also working in the flood affected areas.
Khawaja Shezad Ullah, Regional Director (Sales), Mobilink said that they were committed towards making every effort necessary to help their fellow Pakistanis in their time of need, and this activity was part of a much larger initiative to provide relief to those affected by the floods across the country.
The effort in Balochistan is the second phase of Mobilink's flood relief initiative for 2012, with the first phase in September during which 12,000 victims in Southern Punjab were provided relief, he added. He mentioned that Mobilink Foundation and Mobilink Torchbearers, Mobilink's employee volunteer force, will also be engaged for physical distribution of the food and water supplies to displaced families occupying temporary shelters in Jaffarabad. The Pakistan Navy will organise logistics, transportation and distribution, using both air and land transport. It may be mentioned here that District Jaffarabad in Balochistan is one of the worst floods affected with access to the area being hindered by standing flood water, inundated road infrastructure and a precarious security situation.