JACOBABAD, Jul 30 (APP): Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday visited the flood-hit areas of Balochistan to review rescue, relief and rehabilitation measures.
National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) officers, chief secretary Balochistan and NDMA Chairman Lt. General Akhtar Nawaz briefed the PM about the rescue, relief and rehabilitation efforts in the flood-affected areas of the province, PM Office Media Wing said.
The PM took an aerial view of Goth Ali Mardan Shambani in district Jhal Magsi and other affected areas to assess the losses and the chief secretary Balochistan during the flight gave details about the flood situation and the relief operations.
He stopped at the Shambani village and met with the people affected by the floods.
The PM directed for establishing of a medical camp and provision of medicines for the affected village.
He also ordered posting of a veterinary doctor for the livestock and asked the authorities to immediately arrange two boats and ration for the villages and speed up the relief activities for the affectees.
Chief Secretary Balochistan immediately sent additional teams for relief activities in the flood affected areas. On the instructions of the PM, later on the medical camp was established, relief goods and medicines were delivered and a veterinary doctor arrived at the Shambani village.
Talking to media, the PM said he came to Balochistan to assess losses in affected areas including Quetta, Zhob, Chaman, Killa Saifullah, Loralai and Lasbella.
The PM had also held a meeting with the chief ministers and chief secretaries of provinces a few days ago in Islamabad and decided about the relief measures.
Shehbaz Sharif said 300 people including 124 in Balochistan lost their lives in the flood affected areas, adding the government would give Rs one million each to the families of those who lost their lives. The provincial government would also give Rs one million 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 consultation with the provinces, Azad Kashmir and Gilgit Baltistan governments to assess the losses of livestock and damage to the crops, adding in the next meeting in Islamabad on August 3, the situation after floods would be further reviewed.
Later in tweets on his Twitter handle, the PM said: “I visited the flood-hit areas of Balochistan today to oversee the ongoing relief work & express solidarity with the affected people. The federal government is working with the provincial government to provide immediate relief to the people. The work will be further accelerated.
About 300 including 124 people from Balochistan have lost lives in the floods. Although there is no compensation for human life, the federal govt is paying Rs 10 lakh to every household of the deceased. I have also ordered increase in financial assistance for damaged houses.
“These are certainly challenging times in which people have suffered huge losses due to floods and torrential rains. I assured the flood affectees that we will not leave any stone unturned to provide them relief and ensure their rehabilitation.”
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