Devastation in AJK: Plan afoot for revival of victims, says Kaira

Federal Minister vows to address the crisis on emergency basis.

MIRPUR: The damages caused by the torrential rains and floods in Azad Kashmir (AJK), is a matter of concern for the government which is working on a plan to rehabilitate the affected people and areas and bring life back to normal.

This was stated by Minister for Information and Broadcasting Qamar Zaman Kaira while addressing a news conference in Muzaffarabad, the capital city of AJK on Friday.

“The federal government will provide all possible relief and assistance to the AJK government for the early rehabilitation of the areas affected by the rains, flash floods and landslides in the state,” Kaira stated.

The minister said that the government and people of Pakistan are extremely concerned over the loss of human life, damage to property and roads infrastructure by the rains. He said the monsoon rains have wreaked havoc with Neelum Highway and other road networks but steps on emergency basis are underway to repair and restore these roads to ensure better transportation facilities to the tourists and the people of the area.

He sought help from political parties, civil society and media in removing encroachments at the banks of nullahs, rivers and roads to avert any further damage. He said that a strategy would be evolved to control the land erosion from the earthquake-hit mountainous areas.

The minister said that the federal government would continue financial assistance to the state authorities to tap the natural resources of AJK including tourism and hydropower generation, which would bring a new era of progress and economic activity in the area.

Earlier, he visited the calamity-hit areas of Muzaffarabad including Central Plate, Makri, and Tariqabad.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 25^th, 2012.