National Flood Response and Relief Centre established

ISLAMABAD: The National Flood Response and Relief Centre has been established by the federal government following the decision of the coalition parties in a session chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, ARY News reported on Monday.

PM Shehbaz Sharif chaired the session of the leaders of the coalition parties of the federal government to discuss the unified strategy for assisting the flood victims across the country.

A National Flood Response and Coordination Centre was established by the federal government following the session, according to the declaration. The coalition government finalised the national-level reconstruction plan for the flood-hit parts.

During the session, the coalition parties declared the revival of the International Fund Monetary’s (IMF) Extended Fund Facility (EFF) Programme crucial progress for the national economy.

PM Sharif said that the bankruptcy risk was ended after the revival of the IMF programme. He said that Pakistan came out of the economic crisis and the IMF programme will bring the economic stability.

The premier praised the efforts of Finance Minister Miftah Ismail and his economic team for IMF programme’s revival.

PM Shehbaz Sharif expressed hopes that it would be the final IMF programme for Pakistan. He said that the IMF programme was just a phase and the prime target of the federal government was achieving the economic independence.

The forum offered Fateha for those who died during the flood and prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured, while heartfelt sorrow and grief were expressed to the families of flood victims.

The meeting declared that in 60 years there has not been such a disaster as a result of recent rains and floods across the country, especially in the province of Sindh, Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), South Punjab and Gilgit-Baltistan (GB).

The meeting appreciated the tireless efforts of PM Sharif for rescue, emergency measures for relief, continuous visits to flood-affected areas and provision of uninterrupted support to the flood victims.

The forum appreciated the federal government’s step to grant five billion rupees to National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), 15 billion rupees to Sindh and ten and a half billion rupees to Balochistan for dealing with the flood situation.

The meeting paid tribute to the federal and provincial governments, central and provincial institutions, army, navy, air force and all the people involved in the provision of emergency aid and taking care of the oppressed citizens in the flood-affected areas, Radio Pakistan reported.

The meeting expressed full solidarity with the flood victims and expressed their firm determination that the government of the coalition parties will not sit calm until the rehabilitation of their flood affected brothers, sisters and children.

The meeting endorsed the proposal that a comprehensive national level reconstruction plan should be formulated in view of the large-scale disaster caused by the floods.