Bilawal reinforces need for union to overcome challenge
By Our Correspondent
SUKKUR: The Federal government will provide a grant of Rs 15 billion to the Sindh government to overcome the heavy losses of lives and infrastructure in the wake of the massive destruction caused by flash floods, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced on Friday. Talking to reporters flanked by Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah and federal ministers including Bilawal Bhutto and Syed Khurshid Shah here at Sukkur Barrage, the Prime Minister said the situation demanded rising above politics and helping the flood victims overcome their miseries.
PM Sharif, who earlier took an aerial view of the inundated areas of Sukkur, Rohri, Khairpur, Faiz Ganj, Kot Diji, and Thari Mir Wah, expressed serious concern over the loss of lives and infrastructure caused by floods.
The Prime Minister stated that the Federal government’s grant would assist the Sindh government in carrying out relief and restoration efforts. He stated that the coalition administration would make a concerted effort to ease the sufferings of flood victims, and that it would leave no stone unturned in assisting those who had suffered tremendous loss as a result of the floods. He stated that around 900 people have died as a result of floods in the last several months, and that the crisis has taken a tremendous toll on crops and cattle. He commanded that relief and rescue personnel are ready 24 hours a day, seven days a week to assist flood victims.
He announced the disbursement of Rs 25,000 per household through Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) starting Friday and onwards and said in one week, around Rs 28 billion would be given to the affected people. Also, medical camps are on the alert to extend treatment to patients in the flood-hit areas, he added.
He stated that Nestle Pakistan had provided 100 tonnes of pure drinking water, with 80 tonnes and 20 tonnes going to flood victims in Sindh and Balochistan, respectively. The Prime Minister acknowledged meeting with envoys from various nations this morning and urging them to support Pakistan in its hour of need. He stated that the Federal and Provincial administrations were conducting a joint survey to assess the losses.
PM Sharif lauded Chief Minister Sindh Murad Ali Shah for helping the flood-affected people across the province. He mentioned that he talked to the army and Naval chief who assured full support in carrying out relief and rescue operations. The Prime Minister said the grid stations in the flood-hit areas would be again switched on again after taking necessary measures. The power stations, after getting submerged in water, had been turned off keeping in view averting the incidents of electrocution of people. He instructed the Federal Minister for Power to remain available in Sindh to oversee the activities.
Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah has encouraged the media to appropriately expose the plight of flood-affected individuals in order to inform international donor organisations of the genuine extent of the disaster. Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said the situation was a challenge for all Pakistani political parties to help the country’s people in their hour of need. He praised the Prime Minister for his announcement about the distribution of compensation funds to flood victims via BISP. He stated that tents were currently the most in demand commodity and urged philanthropists to contribute.
Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam’s General Secretary Sindh Rashid Mehmood Soomro stressed joint efforts of the Federal and Provincial governments besides the private sector to help the flood victims. The district administration of Sukkur and the representatives of the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) briefed the prime minister about the ongoing work for the relief of the flood-stricken people and the rehabilitation of the infrastructure. The prime minister was informed that some flood-affected areas were without communication services due to catastrophic damage to infrastructure in urban and rural areas. It was reported that 43 food assistance camps had been established in Sindh, where people were given food and medicines. In an interaction with flood-affected people, the prime minister pledged to make every effort to assist them.
