On PTI turf, Shehbaz pledges no politics, discrimination in rehab of flood-hit

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday visited the flood-affected areas in districts Tank and Dera Ismael Khan of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) where he was briefed about the loss caused to human life and property by rains and relief and rescue work underway in these areas, reported 24NewsHD TV channel. 

While visiting rival PTI’s bastion of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Shehbaz Sharif said the collective efforts by federal and provincial governments and departments was inevitable to ensure early rehabilitation of the people affected by flash floods caused by torrential rains. He lauded the efforts of the National Disaster Management Authority and provincial disaster management authorities for striving to rescue and relief the affected population.

During the briefing by Deputy Commission Tank Hamidullah Khan, Shehbaz was apprised of the ongoing relief and rehabilitation work in the area including supply of food, drinking water to the displaced people staying at temporary shelters.

He urged the KP government to enhance the compensation of existing Rs 0.8 million for the deceased to Rs1 million to bring it at par with that of the provincial government. “Financial compensation is nothing (comparing the loss of their dear ones) but it will help them live through the challenges of life… This is not competition. This is complimentary. This is our responsibility,” he added.

He said that the federal government had increased the cash assistance for injured people from Rs25,000 to 250,000 and had also announced a similar compensation of Rs0.5 million for both mud and concrete houses damaged completely and Rs 0.2 million for partially hit ones.

Upon being told about the damage to the main roads by flood, the prime minister instructed the National Highway Authority to rehabilitate the ones under its jurisdiction.

He said after completing the visits of flood-hit areas, he would mull over the surveys of the NDMA and provincial authorities to assess the damages and decide the possible contribution by the federal government.

PDM chief Maulana Fazlur Rehmansaid the construction of Tank Zam dam and other small dams would help save the area and its infrastructure from the floods.

During the briefing, the prime minister was told that the floods had damaged around 11,000 households in the district and caused two deaths besides injuring seven others.

Shehbaz also took a round of the shelter camps housing the flood-affected people. He sat on ground to interact with the families and expressed words of affection to the children. He assured the displaced families that both the federal and provincial government were collectively working for their early rehabilitation.

He hugged an elderly flood-victim after he fell into tears thanking him for sympathising with them and being the first prime minister to be with them in that hour of distress.

Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) President and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, Minister for Communications Maulana Asadur Rehman and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Engineer Ameer Muqam also accompanied PM Shehbaz on the visit.  

In Dera Ismael Khan, Shehbaz Sharif vowed to put in all possible efforts for the rehabilitation of the flood-hit people, letting no political differences or discrimination impede the process.

During his visit to the flood-ravaged area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Dera Ismael Khan district, Shehbaz Sharif said though the province was ruled by another party but it should make no difference. “As another party rules in this province. We have no difference with it at this point of time. We all have to do it collectively. This is the matter of Pakistan, the matter of you, your rehabilitation, your house and your children. God willing, you will see there will be no politics or discrimination in it,” he assured the audience while having an interaction with people displaced by the flashfloods.

The prime minister said that both the federal and provincial governments were working round the clock for relief of the affected population. He said the federal government had announced Rs1 million compensation for the deceased and conveyed a message to the KP chief minister to increase the compensation amount from existing Rs0.8 million to 1 million to support the distressed families.

Moreover, the federal government would also provide Rs250,000 each for the injured and Rs0.5 million for fully damaged houses and Rs0.2 million each for partially damaged structures.

Moreover, Shehbaz said the NDMA and provincial authorities would carry out a joint survey to assess the damage to crops to enable the government pay compensation transparently. He also mentioned his interaction with Chief of the Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa on the subject who also assured full support to fulfil the collective responsibility of the rehabilitation of the displaced population.

Shehbaz said following the completion of his visits to the affected areas, he would chair a meeting within a couple of days to assess the damage and strategize the compensation process.

However, the prime minister assured the locals that the government would not delay the reconstruction of the damaged infrastructure including roads and bridged destroyed by the flash floods.

The prime minister, who earlier visited the flood-affected areas of Tank district, appreciated the performance of the National Highway Authority chairman for rehabilitation of road infrastructure in Balochistan and other areas. He reiterated that the government would not sit idle until last individual was rehabilitated and household was reconstructed.

During the briefing by the authorities concerned, the prime minister was told that the flash floods had fully damaged 143 houses. A survey was in process to assess the extend of the loss to structures, crops and livestock.

It was told that no casualty was reported in the area due to flood except one due to the electrocution.

It was told that around 350 percent more rain was recorded this year and that all including NDMA, PDMAs, Pakistan Army, FC and local administrations were collectively engaged for the rehabilitation of the population.

The Pakistan Democratic Movement chief Mualana Fazlur Rehman, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb and senior government officers accompanied the prime minister, who also interacted with the flood-affected people and reiterated his assurance for their relief and rehabilitation.

Reporter: Sajid Khan Baloch

With inputs from Agencies