PM announces Rs3m for flood relief workers of Balochistan

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday announced Rs3 million for flood relief workers in the Kachhi area of Balochistan.

The premier made the announcement during his address to the media, after reviewing rehabilitation efforts in the flood-hit Bibi Nani bridge of the province.

During his address, he directed Chief Minister Balochistan Abdul Quddus Bizenjo and the secretary of the National Highway Authority (NHA) to give the prize money to deserving workers.

He also strictly instructed them to distribute the amount on a merit basis.

Shehbaz furthered that the chief minister has also announced prize money of Rs2 million for the workers.

He said: “A total prize money of Rs5 million will be distributed among hardworking relief workers who worked day and night to restore the bridge.”

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The PM lauded the efforts of workers who worked tirelessly to restore the traffic on the Bibi Nani Bridge, in the Kacchi area of the province, within eight hours.

“I want to tell the nation that when calamity strikes the entire nation is united,” he said.

“This is how a nation comes out of a calamity," he added.

Shehbaz reviews rehabilitation work

PM Shehbaz arrived in Quetta for a day-long visit earlier today to review relief activities in the flood-hit areas of the province.

He also visited the Kacchi area of the province to review rehabilitation work on the flood-affected road and railway infrastructure.

PM Shehbaz was given a detailed briefing by Chairman NHA Khurram Agha on the flood-affected roads in Balochistan and the ongoing rehabilitation work on his way to the link bridges in Bibi Nani and Pinjara bridge.

It is pertinent to note that the Pinjara bridge was completely swept away by the floods.

During his earlier visit to the province, the PM had announced a grant of Rs10 billion for Balochistan flood victims.

He had also appealed to the well-off people to rise to the occasion and participate in the relief efforts.

Read More PM Shehbaz visits flood-hit K-P areas, Mohmand Dam

Balochistan has badly suffered from the eight monsoon spells, overwhelming in magnitude and severity. It swept away the kith and kin of the survivors, their cattle, houses and crops.

Director General Provincial Disaster Management Authority Saleh Nasar said that non-stop heavy downpours, uncontrolled waves of water and gushing hill torrents had so far claimed around 250 lives with thousands injured and displaced.

The catastrophe left some 61,718 houses damaged, 145,936 livestock dead and about 190 thousand acres of agricultural land badly affected.

The province is almost cut off from Punjab, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Sindh due to the collapse of bridges on Quetta-Zhob-Dana Sar-Dera Ismail Khan Road, Quetta-Loralai-Dera Ghazi Khan, Quetta-Khuzdar-Karachi, and Quetta-Sibi-Jacaboad Roads.