Prime Minister visits Balochistan to review relief activities in flood-hit districts
JACOBABAD, (UrduPoint/Pakistan Point News – July 31, 2022): Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif visited flood-affected areas in Balochistan on Saturday to review rescue, relief and rehabilitation measures.
Officers of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), Chief Secretary of Balochistan and Lieutenant General Akhtar Nawaz, Chairman of NDMA briefed the Prime Minister on rescue, relief and rehabilitation efforts in flood-affected areas of the province, the media wing of the Prime Minister’s Office said.
The Prime Minister took an aerial view of Goth Ali Mardan Shambani in Jhal Magsi district and other affected areas to assess the losses and the Chief Secretary of Balochistan during the flight gave details of the flood situation and the relief operations.
He stopped at the village of Shambani and met the people affected by the floods.
The Prime Minister ordered the establishment of a medical camp and the provision of medicine for the affected village.
He also ordered the assignment of a veterinarian for the livestock and asked the authorities to immediately provide two boats and rations for the villages and to speed up relief activities for the disaster victims.
Balochistan’s Chief Secretary immediately dispatched additional teams for relief activities in flood-hit areas. On the instructions of the Prime Minister, later the medical camp was established, relief supplies and medicine were delivered and a veterinary doctor arrived at Shambani village.
Speaking to the media, the prime minister said he came to Balochistan to assess casualties in affected areas including Quetta, Zhob, Chaman, Killa Saifullah, Loralai and Lasbella.
The PM had also held a meeting with chief ministers and chief secretaries of provinces a few days ago in Islamabad and decided on the relief measures.
Shehbaz Sharif said 300 people, including 124 in Balochistan, lost their lives in the flood-affected areas, adding that the government would donate one million rupees each to the families of those who lost their lives. The provincial government would also donate one million rupees to the families of the deceased.
He said the government would also give Rs 500,000 each for totally damaged houses and Rs 200,000 for partially damaged houses.
He said he had constituted four committees which would hold consultations with the provinces, governments of Azad Kashmir and Gilgit Baltistan to assess livestock losses and crop damage, adding at the next meeting in Islamabad the August 3, the situation after the floods would be further considered.
Later, in tweets on his Twitter account, the Prime Minister said: “I visited the flood-affected areas of Balochistan today to oversee the ongoing relief works and express my solidarity with those affected. The federal government is working with the provincial government to provide immediate relief to the people.The work will be further expedited.
Around 300 including 124 people from Balochistan lost their lives in the floods. Although there is no compensation for human life, the federal government pays Rs 10 lakh to each household of the deceased. I also ordered increased financial assistance for damaged homes.
“These are certainly difficult times during which people have suffered huge losses due to floods and torrential rains. I have assured those affected by the floods that we will leave nothing to chance in bringing relief and ensuring their rehabilitation.
