PM appeals to nation to donate for relief, rehabilitation of flood victims

Shehbaz says it will take hundreds of billions of rupees to overcome flood losses

ISLAMABAD:

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday appealed to the nation to donate for supporting the relief and rehabilitation of the people and infrastructure in flood-hit areas where hundreds have been killed and thousands rendered homeless.

The premier said the government was distributing Rs37.2 billion as cash relief among the flood-stricken people. Rs5 billion have immediately been released to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) to accelerate the rescue, relief and rehabilitation efforts.

He said Rs25,000 cash assistance was being paid to the flood victims in addition to the compensation of Rs1 million for the families of the deceased, and additional support for the people injured and damages to the houses.

“All this requires Rs80 billion. It also requires hundreds of billions of rupees to overcome the losses as well as for rehabilitation of the victims,” he added.

The prime minister said the provincial governments were working round the clock in collaboration with the federal government and armed forces.

Read: PM, COAS discuss relief rescue operations in flood affected areas

He said the country had received unprecedented rains this year, breaking the 30-year average rainfall record, particularly in Sindh and Balochistan where flashfloods have killed hundreds of people.

Conveying his prayers for those injured in the calamity, PM Shehbaz said the flash floods have left a huge number of people homeless and caused losses in terms of livestock, crops, orchards and other properties.

He maintained the government was carrying out relief and rehabilitation efforts with utmost responsibility and honesty. Helicopters have been provided for relief operations in areas where roads and bridges have been destroyed.

He also paid tribute to the Pakistan Army officers who were martyred in a helicopter crash in Balochistan during the flood relief operation.

He recalled that Pakistani people and institutions had set an example by showing their "passion to sacrifice" after the deadly earthquake of 2005 and disastrous flash floods in 2010. The premier said the rehabilitation of the flood-stricken people could be expedited if the whole nation showed the same spirit to support the flood victims.

“Our nation is ahead of all in the world when it comes to the passion to sacrifice. I appeal to you all to support,” he added.

Shehbaz urged the people to donate to the flood relief fund wholeheartedly, "reviving the spirit of sacrifice shown by the Ansar-e-Madina out of the love for the Holy Prophet (PBUH)."