The provincial government had released an amount of Rs 880 million, on need basis, to all affected districts of the province, while another amount of Rs 1.5 billion has been released for other various payments. This was stated by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Minister for Labour Sher Azam Wazir while talking to media here on Saturday. He said that the rains and floods were a big national disaster that had affected all 24 districts of the province.
He said that the provincial government under the leadership of Chief Minister Ameer Haider Khan Hoti had made organised planning for rescue and relief operation for the flood affected people of the province. He said that despite limited resources, the government has issued an amount of Rs 880 million to districts and another amount of Rs 1.5 billion for different kind of payments while cheques of Rs 5 billion have been dispatched to different districts to enable smooth supply of relief goods to the flood affected people.
Azam said that for briefing the friendly countries in general and world community in particular regarding destruction and financial losses incurred due to rains and floods the provincial government held a donors' conference, which would usher pleasant affects. He said that federal government is also providing assistance to flood affectees according to available resources.
He said that President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and federal ministers along with foreign dignitaries had made effective visits to the affected areas and reviewed difficulties and problems faced by the flood affectees. He said that an amount of $1.5 billion had already been deposited in the Prime Minister Relief Fund while local and foreign resourceful people and donor agencies are providing open heart assistance to the flood affectees of the KP.
The minister said that destruction and losses are huge and houses, standing crops and properties worth billions of rupees have been destroyed and some people had lost their nears and dears. However, he said, Pakhtun is a living nation and history had also proved that they are brave and hardworking. He said that the people are passing through a difficult time. However, he was confident that with the support of the government and nation they would once again stand on their own feet.