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Provinces provided relief to flood-affected people despite limited resources: PM

Provinces provided relief to flood-affected people despite limited resources: PM
December 8, 2022 Web Desk

ISLAMABAD (APP) - Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday appealed to philanthropists, including industrialists and expatriates, to support the government’s flood rehabilitation efforts by replicating the model of building100-unit prefabricated houses for flood victims.

Addressing the launch ceremony of prefabricated residential units in Tank and Dera Ismail Khan, the prime minister urged the affluent to ‘adopt’ the flood-hit people of Balochistan and Sindh by providing them the infrastructure equipped with necessary facilities. "The provinces provided the relief to the flood-affected people despite the limited resources," he added.

The prime minister in September had announced to construct residential units for the people of Tank and Dera Ismail Khan, who were displaced by the massive flashfloods in Khyber Pukhtunkhwa. The project worth Rs 140 million was carried out as a gesture of philanthropy by Menzies Aviation and former special assistant to prime minister on aviation Captain Shujaat Azeem.

Shehbaz Sharif, who handed over keys of the residential units to flood victims, expressed satisfaction that the accommodation comprising two rooms, a kitchenette and a toilet would provide relief to the displaced people.

He said the post-flood damages needed more people to come forward and contribute towards replicating the same model villages and assist the government in amplifying its rehabilitation efforts.

The prime minister mentioned that the recent floods inflicted huge damage to around two million houses, infrastructure and roads; however, he expressed satisfaction that the federal and provincial governments along with the private sector put their best efforts to provide relief to the affected people.

He lauded the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and the provincial disaster management authorities for carrying out relief and rehabilitation activities in the flood-affected areas. He said that the federal government disbursed Rs 70 billion to the flood-struck people in the provinces through the Benazir Income Support Programme.

Shehbaz Sharif said that the armed forces played an important role in reaching out to the people stranded in floods. He also mentioned the support of friendly countries in extending assistance to Pakistan to help overcome the challenge of flood.

Federal Minister for Planning Dr Ahsan Iqbal said that Pakistan faced the huge catastrophe of floods; however, mentioned that the government’s federal and provincial departments, and civil and military personnel demonstrated collaborative effort to overcome the challenge.

Through corporate social responsibility, he said that the government encouraged the private sector to contribute towards public welfare. He said Pakistan would hold an international conference aimed at seeking support from the international community for post-flood rehabilitation.

Khyber Pukhtunkhwa MPA Mehmood Ahmed Khan Bhittai lauded Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for early implementation of the residential accommodation for the flood-hit people. He said that the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam would support the development endeavours of the government in the interest of people.