Balochistan CM orders to convert govt buildings into shelter homes

QUETTA: Balochistan Chief Minister Jam Kamal Khan on Saturday directed to convert government-owned buildings into shelter house for facilitating affectees of disastrous rain and snowfall, ARY News reported.

CM Jam Kamal Khan issued special directives to provincial authorities to ensure the provision of support to locals in the calamity-affected parts, spokesperson said.

The head of the provincial government telephoned National Highway Authority (NHA) Chairman Jawad Rafique Malik and discussed clearance of roads on emergency basis in snow-hit areas.

Malik assured that the authority will immediately provide heavy machinery and staff members for clearance of Khojak Top.

After widespread rainfall at Qilla Abdullah, Gulistan, Jangal Pir, Alizai and Dobandi in Balochistan a flow of floodwaters entered in Qilla Abdullah Bazaar causing collapse of several mud walls as people started shifting to safer places. According to reports, a number of people have been trapped in floodwaters in Qillah Abdullah.

The floodwater has also started entering into shops, houses and offices in the area.

The people of the area have appealed for helicopters for rescue and relief operations in the locality.

Moreover, the provincial government also declared primary health centres as temporary shelter homes across Balochistan.

People`s Primary Healthcare Initiative (PPHI) district managers were asked to coordinate the district administration for facilitating locals in the parts hit by heavy rains and snowfall.

The spokesperson of the provincial government in its press statement asked citizens of rain and snow-hit areas to get benefits of government-owned shelter houses located in their respective zones.

Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) had predicted rainfall at scattered places of a new rain spell and snowfalls at scattered places in Balochistan, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Kashmir, Punjab and Gilgit Baltistan from Friday which would likely to persist till Monday.