PM Shehbaz Sharif announces construction of houses for flood victims

SUKKUR/ISLAMABAD: The prime minister, during his visit to Pir Guddu and Kot Diji flood-affected areas in Khairpur district on Tuesday, inspected the post-flood rehabilitation work and announced to construct houses for flood victims. 

Addressing the flood victims, he said around five billion rupees will be spent on construction of houses for the flood affected people, adding that he would raise the issues of flood-hit people at the Geneva conference to be held in January.

Shehbaz mentioned that Pakistan was facing the brunt of climate change despite minimal contribution to the global carbon emissions. He lauded the overseas Pakistanis for contributing Rs2.75 billion donations to the Prime Minister’s Flood Relief Fund which, he said, would be spent transparently for the welfare of flood-hit people.

The prime minister said that had Imran Khan helped the flood-affected people with the money collected from Toshakhana, he would have congratulated him, adding that even the watch having Khana Kaaba model was sold and money was used for political purposes.

Imran Khan instead of helping the flood victims had stopped the international community from helping the victims, he said.

The prime minister announced construction of houses after seeking consent of the flood victims. The federal government, he added, had provided all resources to the provincial government to overcome the massive problem. He said the government will do every possible effort to provide relief to the flood-affected people. He said that Denmark, Belgium and France had taken keen interest to install water filter plants for the flood victims.

Shehbaz said that 20 million people, including nine million children, were in severe need of assistance, adding the situation required resources worth billions of rupees to address the challenges of food and medicine, adding that eight million people are still living in stagnant flood water. He said that he had never seen any flood with such ferocity because this time whole cities and villages were destroyed.

He further stated the level of destruction caused by the flood was indescribable and any resources could not have been enough to tackle the challenges; however, the affected people would not be left alone and they would be supported.

He said that federal government had provided Rs70 billion of Benazir Income Support Programme to the flood victims. Serving the masses and their welfare is “priority of the government, while provinces also had spent billions of rupees on the rescue, relief and rehabilitation of the flood victims.”

He said that Khairpur and Dadu were still under flood water and all resources should be involved to drain out the flood water. He said that through the NDMA, ration, mosquito nets, tents, blankets and other material had been provided to the flood victims. He assured the flood-stricken people that the government would construct houses for their proper accommodation.

Sindh Governor Kamran Khan Tissori said that coordination between federal and provincial governments was important in providing facilities to the flood-affected people who were facing the challenges of food security and accommodation.

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah mentioned the need for availability of funds for redefining and clearing the natural water courses, so as to minimise the chances of floods. He also sought the federal government’s assistance to help the province rectify its drainage system.

Prime Minister Shehbaz was given a briefing on the ongoing rehabilitation and reconstruction projects being carried out in the flood-affected areas. It was highlighted that the areas would be restored in line with the feasibility study following the rainfall of 2011-12 that outlined the natural water courses. It was emphasised that most of the flood-hit areas had been de-watered, with electricity fully restored.

The prime minister on that occasion announced the establishment of Comsat University in Khairpur and said that the chief minister will propose place for the structure. Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal, Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb, Climate Change Minister Sherry Rehman, National Disaster Management Authority Chairman Lt Gen Inam Haider Malik and senior officials of the provincial government were present on the occasion.

Earlier, Kamran Tissori, Murad Ali Shah, Federal Minister for Water Resources Syed Khursheed Ahmad Shah and former Sindh chief minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah received the prime minister at Sukkur Airport.

Prime Minister Shehbaz, meanwhile, said that resurgence in terrorism poses a renewed threat to the country’s national security, but the valiant security forces are fully capable of dealing with it. In a Tweet, he paid rich tributes to brave sons of soil who took part in Bannu operation. “May Allah Almighty accept the sacrifices of our martyrs,” the prime minister said.

The prime minister, in a statement, maintained that the state would not succumb to any terrorist group or organisation and they would be dealt with strictly according to the Constitution and law.

He said that condemnable efforts of spreading anarchy in the country by using acts of terrorism would be crushed, adding that national security was a sensitive and a collective thought and an action plan was required for the purpose. “We will also take measures against safe havens of terrorists and their foreign facilitators,” he said.

Observing that operations Raddul Fasad and Zarb-e-Azb were vital steps against terrorism, the prime minister said the sacrifices of Shuhada would not be wasted. “The sacrifices of armed forces, police, rangers and other law enforcement agencies are unforgettable,” he said.

Condemning the surge in terror acts particularly in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, he pointed out that to maintain law and order in provinces was the responsibility of provincial governments but the federal government could not close eyes to the serious situation. “We will work closely with the provinces to address issue of terrorism,”

Shehbaz maintained that the Nation Action Plan would be implemented in letter and spirit while capacities of provincial governments and anti-terrorism departments would also be enhanced.

He said the Counter Terrorism Department in the KP province would be reorganised in the wake of Bannu incident.