PM Shehbaz announces cabinet’s one-month salary for KP flood victims

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday announced the donation of one month’s salary from the federal cabinet to aid relief efforts for flood-hit people in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Presiding over a meeting to review ongoing relief efforts by federal government in flood affected areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir, the prime minister directed the federal institutions to intensify efforts to assist rain and flood-affected people in various districts of KP, a press statement issued here read.

“In this hour of calamity, there is no federal or provincial government; we must ensure the assistance and rehabilitation of affected people,”the prime minister said adding that “Helping our distressed Pakistani brothers and sisters is our national responsibility”.

He said this was not a time for politics but for service and healing the wounds of the people.

The prime minister stressed that the federal government will also provide financial assistance to the families of the deceased and affected individuals under the Prime Minister’s relief package.

Read More: KP floods death toll rises to 323, 156 injured

Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan will oversee relief and rehabilitation operations in affected areas while the relevant federal ministers will personally monitor the restoration of electricity, water, roads, and other facilities in affected areas, the prime minister added.

Furthermore, he also instructed all relevant federal ministers to visit Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Azad Kashmir, and Gilgit-Baltistan in person.

The prime minister directed the National Highway Authority (NHA) not to differentiate between provincial or national highways; and opening routes for relief must be the top priority.

He also ordered Ministry of Communications, NHA, and FWO to ensure repair of highways and bridges in affected areas. “Minister for Communications should personally oversee rehabilitation operations.”

The prime minister also directed Minister for Power to visit affected areas, inspect, and prioritize restoration of the electricity system, adding that the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) should immediately submit a final assessment of damages.

“NDMA should present a comprehensive plan for the distribution of relief items to flood victims in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,” the prime minister said stressing the Ministry of Finance to provide necessary resources to NDMA.

The prime minister further directed all the relevant federal ministers to remain in affected areas until the last person received assistance and basic infrastructure was restored.

Ministry of Health should send medicines and medical teams to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and establish medical camps while Benazir Income Support Programme should be mobilized to assist the affected, the prime minister instructed.

During the meeting, the prime minister and other participants prayed for the departed souls and speedy recovery of the injured.

The meeting was briefed on the ongoing relief activities by NDMA and federal ministers designated by the prime minister.

It was informed that the federal government, provincial governments, Pakistan Army, and other institutions had established 456 relief camps and conducted 400 rescue operations so far.

The meeting was told that relief trucks carrying essential items were being dispatched, while the prime minister directed that convoys be prioritized for the hardest-hit areas.

According to the preliminary estimates, damages to public and private property exceeded around Rs 126 million.

The NDMA presented a report on the provision of rations, tents, medicines, medical teams, and other essentials, with the prime minister directing an increase in the quantity of relief items.

The meeting was informed that the monsoon season will continue until the second week of September, with six major spells already passed and two more expected, with effects lasting until the last week of September.

Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan Engineer Amir Muqam briefed on the situation in Swat, Minister for Power Sardar Awais Khan Leghari on Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Special Assistant Mubarak Zeb on Bajaur, NHA Chairman on Malakand, and Secretary Communications on Gilgit.

Minister for Religious Affairs Sardar Muhammad Yusuf, Minister for Water Resources Mian Muhammad Mueen Watto, Dr. Musadik Malik, and other officials updated the meeting on relief activities as per the prime minister’s instructions.

The meeting was also attended by Federal Ministers Khawaja Asif, Ahsan Iqbal, Ahad Khan Cheema, Attaullah Tarar, NDMA Chairman Lieutenant General Inam Haider Malik, Prime Minister’s Chief Coordinator Musharraf Zaidi, and other senior officials.