Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah said on Monday that these were testing times for the people of Sindh, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.
Talking to the media in Sukkur where he had gone to monitor relief and rescue operation being carried out in flood-hit areas of the division, he said the Sindh government would not leave people of the province alone.
“This year situation is worse than what it was in 2010 since the province received record-breaking monsoon rains,” he said, adding, “There is a crisis in Sindh as people of the province are in dire need of support.”
The CM informed that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif could not visit Sukkur today due to bad weather. “We will give Rs1 million to each member of the household of those who lost their lives in these floods,” he announced.
He told newsmen that the provincial government was doing all it could to reach out to people living in remote areas of the province. “Although, it is not possible to reach each and every remote area; but still we are trying our best,” he claimed.
Khairpur declared calamity-hit district
Later talking to media at Jeelani House in Khairpur, the chief minister said the Sindh government had declared the district calamity-hit. “Under this new arrangement, people of the district will get relief in taxes,” CM Murad said, adding, “We also plan to give other concessions to people of the district. Each affected family will get Rs25, 000.”
He went on to add that arranging shelter and food for those whose homes had been destroyed in these rains was a top priority for the Sindh government, while draining out rainwater from low-lying areas, streets and roads was the second.
“We are giving millions of rupees in cash to each deputy commissioner so that these could be spent on the relief and rescue operation,” he said, adding the provincial government had assured them that they needed not worry about the money because they would be given more if the need arose.
Sindh chief minister disclosed that total 41 people had died in Khairpur district while 51 had lost their lives in Sukkur division due to heavy rains and floods. “Several homes have been destroyed. I have ordered each district administration to make exact estimates of the losses suffered,” CM Murad informed.
He opined that such phases were part of political life.
Commenting on PTI’s win in a by-election in Karachi yesterday, he said it was unfortunate that people in Pakistan had started voting for those parties which enjoyed shouting abuses at their opponents.
Reporter: Waqar Hussain Mangi