PM orders compensation to flood affectees within 24 hours

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has directed the NDMA to pay compensation within 24 hours to the families of those people who have died in the recent flood- and rain-related incidents and ordered strict action against the provincial administration over negligence in ensuring the availability of food and drinking water at a tent city set up to accommodate the flood victims, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

The prime minister gave these directions while addressing on the occasion of his visit to Quetta on Monday where he would review the relief activities in the flood affected areas of Balochistan.

PM Shehbaz also ordered to increase the compensation amount for partially or fully destroyed houses to Rs500,000.

He said that it was our national tragedy that no attention was paid to dams in the country. The challenge before us is gigantic, but we all have to fight it together, he added. He appreciated the restoration and relief efforts of the NHA.

Prime Minister Shehbaz said that extraordinary heavy rains wreaked havoc on a vast scale, stressing the need to set up a network of medical camps in the affected areas. 

He regretted that besides the loss of precious lives, the infrastructure was also destroyed. He expressed the resolve of the Federal and Balochistan governments for the restoration and rehabilitation of the flood-battered province. He called upon the rich to involve in philanthropic activities in this hour of need. 

وزیرِ اعظم شہباز شریف خشنوب، ضلع قلعہ سیف اللہ میں سیلاب متاثرین کیلئے قائم کردہ خیمہ بستی چمن میں سیلاب زدہ علاقوں کے دورے کے لئے کوئٹہ پہنچ گئے ۔ راستے میں این ڈی آیم اے چئیرمین نے ریسکیو ریلیف اور امددای کاروائی پہ بریفنگ دی۔#PM_in_Balochistan pic.twitter.com/UWWk8XDDM4

— Government of Pakistan (@GovtofPakistan) August 1, 2022

وزیرِ اعظم شہباز شریف آج بلوچستان کے سیلاب زدہ علاقوں میں امدادی کاروائیوں کے جائزے اور متاثرین سے ملاقات کیلئے بلوچستان پہنچ گئے ہیں۔#PM_in_Balochistan pic.twitter.com/lluuSRJoB7

— Government of Pakistan (@GovtofPakistan) August 1, 2022

Later, during his visit to the tent city in the Khushnob area of Qila Saifullah district, Prime Minister Shehbaz ordered strict action against the provincial administration over negligence in ensuring the availability of food and drinking water at the tent city set up to accommodate the flood-affected people. He said that negligence over relief and rescue operations would not be tolerated.

Talking to journalists, PM Shehbaz expressed regret over the plight of displaced persons who faced unavailability of edible items at relief camps and were left with no other option but to travel back to their homes to get food.

He said loopholes had been identified regarding the lack of a record-keeping system at the medical relief system at camps and stressed addressing the issue at the earliest.

He expressed grief over the death of eight children at the relief camps and extended condolences to their families over their loss.

He mentioned that torrential rains led to heavy loss of lives and infrastructure in Balochistan, for which the federal government was determined to extend every possible assistance to the provincial government.

He asked the National Disaster and Management Authority (NDMA) and Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) to pace up relief and rescue operations to best facilitate the victims and conduct a joint survey of damaged houses and crops.

Chief Minister Balochistan Abdul Quddus Bizenjo said though the provincial government had ensured the availability of food rations for one month for the tent city, however, said, an inquiry would be conducted to find out the case of unavailability of food and water at the relief camps.

Federal Minister for Housing Maulana Abdul Wasay said the government would make every effort to rehabilitate the displaced people due to floods.

Later at the Quetta Airport before his departure for home, the prime minister vowed collective efforts to ease the sufferings of the flood victims of Balochistan.

Earlier, Chairman National Disaster Management Authority Lieutenant General Akhtar Nawaz briefed the prime minister regarding relief and rescue activities.

He said that Balochistan received 500% more rainfall during the recent rainy spell which broke 30-year-old record.

While giving briefing, Balochistan chief secretary said that 136 people died and 70 others sustained injuries so far. He, however, said that 1,100 people received minor injuries in flood- and rain-related incidents and were given first aid.

He said that 200,000 acre agricultural land had been inundated. As many as 20,500 people have been shifted to safer places, the CS said adding that M8 and Quetta-Karachi Highway had been restored and opened for traffic to a great extent.

Federal Ministers Sardar Israr Tareen, Marriyum Aurangzeb, Maulana Abdul Wasay, Nawabzada Shahzain Bugti, Minister of State Muhammad Hashim Notezai, Member of National Assembly Salahuddin Ayubi and Chairman NDMA accompanied the prime minister.

Residents of Qila Abdullah protest against PM 

Meanwhile, people of Qila Abdullah, Balochistan protested against Prime Minister Shehbaz for not visiting their area.

They said that the recent spell of torrential rains had wreaked havoc in Qila Abdullah but the PM chose not to visit their area. They demanded of the authorities to declare Qila Abdulla calamity-hit. 

They said that many orchards of apples, grapes, apricot, peach and fields of potatoes and other crops growing on thousands of acres of land had been damaged due to rains. 

They said flashfloods had destroyed several houses and people had been rendered homeless. 

They rued that the prime minister extracted this calamity-hit area from his visit list.

Reporters: Rizwan Saeed and Najeeb-ud-Din