PM appeals to nation to help 'suffering brothers, sisters' in Balochistan's flood-hit regions

Shehbaz expected to visit K-P's flood-affected areas today; says committed to 'meeting the challenge'

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday reiterated his commitment to addressing the damages the floods have caused in Balochistan as he appealed to the nation to “step forward and help our suffering brothers and sisters”.

In a tweet this morning, the PM said that the environmental disaster was indeed a “big challenge” but “our determination to meet this challenge is still stronger.”

بلوچستان میں مسلسل بارشوں اور سیلاب کی وجہ سے ہونے والی تباہی نا قابل بیان ہے۔ حکومت کے تمام اداروں نے ضرور یات کو سامنے رکھتے ہوئے ریسکیو اور ریلیف کا کام اور تیز کر دیا ہے۔ ہم اس وقت تک چین سے نہیں بیٹھیں گے جب تک متاثرین کی آبادکاری مکمل نہیں ہو جاتی۔

— Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) August 2, 2022

"All the institutions of the government have definitely stepped up the rescue and relief work keeping the situation in front," he said.

ہم سیلاب سے پیدا شدہ مشکل صورتحال کا مقابلہ کرنے کے لیے کئی محاذوں پر کام کر رہے ہیں۔ چیلنج یقینا بہت بڑا ہےلیکن اس چیلنج سے نمٹنے کا ہمارا عزم اس سے بھی مضبوط تر ہے۔ میں پوری قوم سے اپیل کرتا ہوں کہ وہ آگے بڑھے اور تکلیف میں مبتلا ہمارے بہن اور بھائیوں کی مدد کرے۔

— Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) August 2, 2022

He also expressed his gratitude towards the provincial government, Pakistan Army and others involved in the rescue operations in Balochistan.

میں ریسکیو اور ریلیف آپریشن میں بھرپور کردار ادا کرنے پر وزیر اعلی بلوچستان،صوبائی انتظامیہ، این ڈی ایم اے اور افواج پاکستان کا خاص طور پر مشکور ہوں۔

— Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) August 2, 2022

PM to visit flood-affected areas

With a trip to Tank and Dera Ismail Khan in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) scheduled for today, PM Shehbaz is continuing his visits to the flood-affected areas in the country.

Read CM announces financial aid for flood-hit areas

He is expected to review the ongoing relief efforts in the areas on his third visit in the last four days to meet the flood-ravaged people and review the pace of rescue and relief operations.

Yesterday, the premier had been in Quetta on a day-long visit to oversee relief operations in flood-stricken areas of Balochistan and expressed serious concerns over the non-availability of food and water in the camp in the province’s Qila Saifullah district.

He had sought action against officials for their failure to provide people with food and water.

Monsoon rampages on

Meanwhile, the monsoon force in most parts of Balochistan and K-P has shown no signs of slowing down as floods continued their assault unabated, leaving many dead while battering homes and toppling trees.

According to the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), nine more people died in rain-related incidents in Balochistan over the past 24 hours, taking the death toll to 136, while 70 others have been injured since June 1.

Read More Armed forces continue relief efforts as death toll in flood-hit regions rise

The authority said several roads and bridges were washed away by floods. It said that a bridge connecting Lasbela and Sindh, which was damaged seven days ago, had not yet been repaired.

Roads linking Quetta to Ziarat, Chaman and Sibi had also been affected by rains. Around 13,535 houses have been destroyed in the province, out of which 10,129 were partially damaged and 3,406 were completely destroyed.

Similarly, the heavy downpour has wreaked havoc on many parts of K-P— including Swabi and Mardan – and has flooded houses and markets, blowing off roofs and forcing many out of their homes.

The rainfall which began on Saturday and continued into Sunday morning overwhelmed rivers and sewer systems, submerging low-lying areas and blocking main routes. At least four persons, including three women, were left dead in rain-related incidents.