Sindh govt for setting aside political differences for flood-hit people

Sindh Information and Transport Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon has said that all the political parties should work together in the present testing times when a large number of people in the country have been devastated due to floods.

In a statement issued on Friday, the he appealed to all the political parties to help out the Sindh government in conducting relief activities for the flood-hit people. “Every Pakistani is now under an obligation to set aside the political differences to become a unified nation to help the innocent countrymen facing testing times,” he said.

He added that Pakistan had been facing a natural calamity whose catastrophic effects were larger than those of the 2005 earthquake and floods of 2010. “We for the humanitarian cause should get united to help out the fellow citizens who have been facing hardships,” he remarked.

Army deployment

The Provincial Disaster Management Authority’s rehabilitation department has requested the deployment of Pakistan Army troops in Sindh for relief and rescue operations.

A letter, moved by Imdad Hussain Siddiqui, director operations of the PDMA’s relief department, to the member operations, National Disaster Management Authority, Government of Pakistan, has requested deployments of armed forces in aid of civil administration for relief and rescue operations in the province.

The letter says that in the aftermath of heavy to very heavy monsoon rains throughout Sindh and the catastrophic devastation they have brought about, the services of the armed forces are required to assist the civilian government in carrying out relief and rescue operations.

It requests that the armed forces be approached to coordinate with this authority and DDMAs for further deployments of troops in the calamity-hit districts. “The matter may kindly be treated as most urgent in the larger public interest,” says the correspondence.

KMC relief camps

Karachi Administrator Barrister Murtaza Wahab on Friday announced that the Karachi Metrological Corporation (KMC) would set up camps in different areas of the city to collect donations for the rain and flood-affected people on Sunday, and the India-Pakistan match would also be screened on big screens at the camps.

He requested the citizens to donate whatever they could as there was an urgent need for tents, food, medicines, wood, and drinking water. "The Sindh government is providing aid to the rain-hit people, but philanthropists should also participate in this charity as we have to help our brothers and sisters in this difficult time," he added.

Wahab said the KMC would also participate in this good cause like other institutions. He said the camps were being established at the KMC head office, MA Jinnah Road, Frere Hall, Safari Park, Hill Park, and Urban Forest Clifton. He said the big screens were being set up at the camps so the citizens could enjoy the India-Pakistan match and help people at the same time.

"It is also our responsibility as human beings and responsible citizens to go ahead and play our role whenever the country needs us," he said, adding that it was good to see various institutions and people helping the flood victims at the individual level. He hoped that all the efforts would yield useful results.

Medical camp

Keeping in view the rain calamity in Sindh and the arrival of affected and displaced persons, and to facilitate patients of contagious and viral diseases, a free special medical camp was organised by the District Malir police and the district administration in Gadap City at the Government Boys Higher Secondary School in Deh Konkar.

A large number of internally displaced persons from every age group, including females and children, received free medical aid and treatment at the camp. Senior doctors, general physicians, gynaecologists, gastro, chest and ENT specialists were also present in the camp and they checked hundreds of patients facing multiple diseases.

Most of the patients were found suffering from fever, gastroenteritis, weakness, malaria, etc. At the camp, there was a facility for free diagnostics through the Essa Lab, which obtained samples and provided results to doctors on the spot. Free medicines were also provided to the patients. Apart from this, all EPI vaccines were available along with lady health workers to vaccinate children and infants.