QUETTA: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said Sunday that the devastation caused by the recent floods across the country was of huge scale and termed the calamity even bigger than the 2010 floods.
Talking to media during his visit to flood-hit Jafarabad, the prime minister announced immediate financial aid of Rs10 billion for Balochistan. He said Balochistan and Sindh were the most affected areas of the country. Hundreds of people have died, crops destroyed and electricity transmission system has totally collapsed in the flood-hit areas, PM Shehbaz said, adding that the scale of recent floods was even bigger than 2010 floods that hit the country.
The prime minister said he never witnessed a flood of such epic scale in his entire life. Thousands of villages had decimated from the face of earth within no time, he added. Shehbaz Sharif ensured provision of clean drinking water in the flood-affected areas.
He also informed that relief assistance was coming from friendly countries including Turkiye and UAE. On this occasion, Prime Minister Shehbaz praised the relief and rescue efforts of the Pakistan Army. “The Pak Army has fully participated in the relief and rescue efforts in the flood-hit areas,” he expressed his gratitude.
The prime minister also appreciated Balochistan chief minister and his team for the rescue and relief activities as the camps for the affectees were set up and their needs had been catered to. He stressed upon making of safe drinking water arrangements and informed that he had already directed the federal minister of energy to supervise restoration of suspended power supply in the affected areas.
The prime minister said about 50,000 stranded people, trapped in floods, had been rescued through the assistance provided by the Pakistan army and Navy helicopters. He further informed that on Monday, they would be holding a meeting in Islamabad to review the situation and take further decisions.
However, on the political front, Shehbaz censured some politicians, in obvious reference to PTI leaders, saying problems would not be solved by uttering lies, deception and accusations. “How long will you rely on lies and accusations,” he asked. On this occasion, a group also announced a grant worth Rs450 million for the flood affectees.
Earlier, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif reached Haji Alla Dino village of Jaffarabad district in Balochistan to review the relief and rescue efforts in the wake of heavy floods and rains. Balochistan’s chief secretary and PDMA director general briefed the prime minister about the relief provided to the flood-affected people and the restoration of the infrastructure.
PM Shehbaz also met people affected by the floods and interacted with them in order to get a true picture of the devastation and also to know whether they got relief assistance. He will address the media.
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