KHAIRPUR: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said government would not leave flood-affected people of Sindh in distress and would continue to take measures to mitigate their sufferings. During his visit to Pir Guddu and Kot Diji towns of flood-affected Khairpur district he inspected post-flood rehabilitation work.

PM Shehbaz in his address to flood victims said people of Sindh suffered from loss of life and property as floods had wreaked havoc in province. Government, he added provided utmost resources to provincial government to overcome massive problem.

Under Benazir Income Support Programme, government disbursed Rs 70 billion to flood victims, he added. Serving masses and their welfare is priority of government, he said. Shehbaz Sharif said rehabilitation and reconstruction work had been completed to large extent, however, stressed that de-watering of inundated areas of Dadu required immediate attention.

He said in wake of floods, some 20 million people including nine million children were in dire need of assistance from government and it required billions of rupees to address challenges of food and medicine.

PM Shehbaz mentioned that Pakistan was facing brunt of climate change despite minimal contribution to global carbon emissions. He lauded overseas Pakistanis for contributing Rs 2.75 billion donations to Prime Minister’s Flood Relief Fund, which, he said, would be spent transparently for welfare of flood-hit people. He assured flood-struck people that government would construct houses for their proper accommodation. He announced establishment of campus of COMSATS University in Khairpur. He met flood-affected people at makeshift camps and inquired about availability of facilities being provided to them by government.

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

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

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

Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal, Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb, Climate Change Minister Sherry Rehman and National Disaster Management Authority Chairman Lt Gen Inam Haider Malik were present.

Published in The Daily National Courier, December, 22 2022

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