Prime Min-ister Nawaz Sharif on Tues-day assured the flood affected people that the government was fully determined to rehabilitate them and would not leave them in this hour of trial. Talking to flood-affected people during his visit to the district, the Prime Minister said that the government would construct their damaged homes and compensate for the livestock losses. "It is our duty and we are not doing any favour, despite shortage of resources, the government is doing its level best to reach out to the affected people," he added.
The Prime Minister said Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif was personally supervising the rescue and relief activities in all the flood hit areas. Shahbaz was working day and night and shuffling between the areas daily, he added. The Prime Minister said for coping with such catastrophic situation, there should be ample availability of resources. There should be availability of resources; there should be progress, besides a boost in the agriculture and industrial activities so that people could reap financial benefits, he said, adding that such economic uplift and availability of resources would make their homes and dykes more secure.
There should be progress in the country so that people get job opportunities; Pakistan should increase its export, he opined He assured the people that the government would spend maximum on the rehabilitation and relief efforts. He also thanked Minister of State for Health Saira Tarar Afzal, provincial and district administration, rescue, relief teams and workers for alleviating the sufferings of the flood affected people.
He said such a situation grieved him greatly and for showing solidarity with the affected people in this hour of trial, he himself had arrived there. The Prime Minister said that nobody was expecting such high flood, still the local administration was endeavouring to overcome the challenge. He said that survey was being conducted to evaluate the property damages and loss to livestock and crops.
Minister for Information and Broadcasting Senator Pervaiz Rashid and DCO Hafizabad also accompanied the Prime Minister. On the occasion, the Prime Minister was briefed about the relief and rescue operations. He was apprised by the officials that so far 11,000 stranded people had been evacuated from the flood hit areas of Hafizabad. A total of 10 medical centers were set up, besides distribution of food items and water was also made. The Prime Minister directed the officials concerned to speed up their relief and rescue activities with all the available resources. He also directed evacuation of livestock to safer places.