‘Efforts afoot’ to mitigate damages from drought

Home minister says Pishin to be linked to Quetta Safe City project

QUETTA: Minister for Home and Tribal Affairs Mir Zia Ahmed Langove on Friday said the provincial government with the assistance of Centre and National Disaster Management Authority was making all-out efforts to overcome the damage caused by drought.

“Last week, during the National Workshop on Drought the provincial government presented a strong case of Balochistan regarding long-lingering drought,” he said during a visit to Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA).

The minister, who also holds the portfolio of PDMA, was accompanied by lawmakers from both opposition and treasury — provincial Minister for Livestock Mitha Khan, MPA Nawabzada Gohram Bugti, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader Sardar Khan Rind, MPA Younus Zehri, and Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal leader Asghar Ali Tareen.



PDMA DG Imran Zarkoon briefed the delegation about his department’s relief activities in drought-stricken areas.

On their visit, the leaders stressed that the PDMA should utilise all its resource for providing relief to the drought-affected people. They said: “We won’t tolerate any excuse regarding relief operations”.

Meanwhile, the home minister also visited the IG Office where Police IG Mohsin Hassan Butt and DIG Abdul Razzaq Cheema briefed him about law and order.

“The provincial government has been following zero-tolerance policy toward law and order. The law enforcement agencies have been given orders to beef up monitoring in border towns to prevent terrorists’ movement,” said Langove.

He also paid a surprise visit to the Quetta Central Jail and directed authorities to treat all prisoners with respect so they could turn into responsible citizens after being set free.

Upon hearing complaints, Langove directed the provision of adequate facilities to all prisoners.

The minister also visited the District Police Station and Levies Headquarters in Pishin.

The home minister said Pishin district would be linked with Quetta Safe City project. The decision came during a visit to the district where DPO Tariq Elahi Mastoi and Deputy Commissioner Pishin,

Opposition leader Advocate Malik Sikandar, MPA Gohram Bugti, provincial minister Mitha Khan Kakar, and other MPAs were present on the occasion.

Aurangzeib Badini shared law and order situation in A (police deployed) and B (Levies deployed) areas of the district.

Langove said that today crime was being controlled through technology. In addition to the support of manpower, the district needs machinery and latest equipment for maintaining order in the province, he added.

He said that the law enforcement agencies including police and Levies were playing a crucial role in restoring peace.



 

The incumbent government was utilising resources to protect the lives and property of the masses, he said. However, “In order to discourage crime we have to move forward with strong intelligence based system”.

Langove said: “Pishin district would be linked with Quetta Safe City project while we have decided to increase Levies deployment in the district from 100 to 300”. He announced regularising illegal Kabuli vehicles through an official mechanism.

During the visit to the Pishin Rest House, tribal elders called on provincial home minister and informed him about their issues particularly law and order and risks due to illegal trade of un-registered vehicles.