China on Saturday announced 10 million dollars grant for citizens compensation programme for flood victims and 400 million dollars concessionary loan to help meet their needs. Speaking at National Disastrous Management Authority, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said China would continue to help Pakistan in the post-disastrous phase of the flood. China would also provide resources and technical support to Pakistan for disastrous prevention and forecasting technology.
He said China had the expertise in dealing with Attabad lake's like threats and would send its experts as soon as possible to address the perils arising from the lake along the Karakuram Highway. The Chinese Premier said that provision of disaster control and forecasting technology would be helpful to handle such kinds of disasters in future.
He said that three major areas would be covered in his visit which included repair of damaged infrastructure, roads and rehabilitation of the flood victims. He said Pakistan was hit by devastating flood and the Chinese government and people felt it with great pain and have full sympathies with their Pakistani brothers as "your pain is our pain", and "A friend in need is a friend indeed."
China sent three rescue teams immediately to rescue the flood victims and pledged 200 million dollars assistance for the flood affected people of Pakistan, he added. Wen Jiabao said the Chinese people would never forget the support of Pakistan government and people in their hour of trial. They were all samples of deep friendships and such friendships could never buy through money, he added.
He said, "China and Pakistan are all weather partners and whatever changes take place in the world we will carry out our friendship for the larger interest of the people of the two countries." Speaking on the occasion, Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani said Pakistan faced the biggest disaster this year, which affected the entire country from north to south.
Present on the occasion were Information Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi and Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources Syed Naveed Qamar. He said that in this difficult time China once again stood with Pakistan and thanked the Chinese government and people in helping them in the critical hour. He said the assistance from China to thousands of flood-victims was unforgettable.
Prime Minister Gilani said that 20 million people were homeless due to the devastating flood and the government was giving 1,250 dollars to each affected family whose house had been damaged in the flood. The Prime Minster recalled the successful story of the return and distribution of compensation among the IDPs of Swat and Malakand and said that assistance among the flood victims would be distributed in the same transparent manner.
The Prime Minister appealed to the world to contribute to government's national programme for cash compensation. He said that support in agriculture projects would be a source of inspiration for the flood victims. He also thanked the Chinese Premier for announcing to work together with Pakistan to prevent such disasters in future. He said the connectivity of roads and help for Attabad Lake and KKH expansion were a symbol of friendship between the two countries.
Earlier, Chinese Vice Minister for Commerce and Gao Huchang said that 247 million dollars assistance had been provided by the Chinese government for the flood affected people besides delivering disastrous management material. He said various Chinese organisations had also provided 14 million dollars assistance for flood victims besides three agriculture projects, rice processing units, cold storage facilities, crops monitoring and rehabilitation projects in the affected areas.He said China would assist reconstruction and repair of 470 kilometre damaged roads in the affected areas. NDMA Chairman Lieutenant General (Retd) Nadeem Ahmed briefed the Chinese Premier about the loss of lives and infrastructure in the flash flood. He said the flood affected over 20 million people in which 1,985 people were killed and over 3,000 injured.