Gilani directs ministers to visit affected areas

Gilani claimed that the government was taking steps for providing maximum relief to people of flood affected areas.

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani Sunday claimed that the government was taking steps for providing maximum relief to people of flood affected areas. At the same time, he urged civil society and non-government organisations (NGOs) to also come forward to play their role in this regard.

Talking to the Chairman of the Pakistan Red Crescent Society (PRCS), Punjab, Mian Muhammad Hanif here at the Governor’s House Sunday afternoon, the PM directed the PRCS to keep liaison with the provincial governments and take measures for fully ensuring the provision of medicines and other facilities to flood victims

PM Gilani also directed the federal ministers to visit flood affected areas around the country to assess the needs of the affected population, according to a press statement released by the Regional Information Office on Sunday.

The PM has asked the ministers to coordinate their visits with the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) to facilitate the relief and rehabilitation work so as to alleviate the difficulties of the people.

According to the PM’s instructions, Minister for Food and Agriculture Nazar Mohammad Gondal will visit Mandi Bhauddin, Bhera, Joharian, Khushaab, Mianwali and Bhakkar. Minister for Water and Power Raja Pervaiz Ashraf will visit Leyyah, Rajanpur, Tonsa, Sukkur and Guddu. He has been directed to visit the barrages as well. Minister for Industries and Production Mir Hazar Khan Bijarani along with Mir Aijaz Hussain Jakhrani will visit different flood affected areas in Sindh.

Minister for Communication Dr Arbab Alamgir Khan along with Minister for State and Frontier Region Najamuddin Khan will visit different areas in Peshawar, Nowshera, Risalpur and adjoining areas. Minister for Special Initiatives Lal Muhammad Khan will visit Malakand and Swat region.

Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit Baltistan Mian Manzoor Ahmad Watto will visit Pattan and different areas of Azad Jummu and Kashmir.

Minister for Live Stock and Dairy Development Humayun Aziz Kurd, along with Minster of State for Industries and Production Dr Ayat ullah Durrani will visit Kund and its adjoining areas. Minister for Interior Rehman Malik has been directed to visit different flood affected areas of Baluchistan.

According to the press release, the federal ministers have been asked to give their reports to the NDMA to facilitate the relief work. The ministers have also been directed to visit the relief camps established in Pattan, Mirpur, Cashma and Taunsa and to monitor the conditions in the camps and give recommendations to improve the facilities.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 2^nd, 2010.