Flood relief: Baloch party calls govt claim ‘pack of lies’

National Party chief appeals to govt to allow NGOs, donors to help survivors.

QUETTA: The National Party (NP) president has rejected the government claims about relief efforts in the flood-ravaged areas of Balochistan as a “pack of lies”.

“Close to 500,000 homes have been washed away by floodwaters and standing crops worth tens of thousands of rupees have been swamped,” Dr Abdul Malik Baloch on Tuesday.

He was addressing a news conference at the Quetta Press Club following a tour of the flood-hit areas of Naseerabad and Jafferabad districts.

According to Dr Malik, the government has failed to repair a highway part of which was washed away by floodwaters over 26 days ago.

Quoting the Provincial Disaster Management Authority statistics, he said the government had sent 2,860 tents for flood survivors against the actual demand of 74,851.

Acute shortage of edible items is causing difficulties for the survivors who don’t have clean water to drink.

“Despite this bleak scenario, some landlords have stocked food items, putting the lives of the poor population at risk,” Dr Malik said. “Instead of distributing food items to the poor, the government gave it to landlords who only stored it.”

He appealed to the government to allow non-governmental organisations and international donors to help the flood victims.

According to him, Killa Saifullah, Loralai and Harnai areas have also been badly affected but no one took notice of the devastation there.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 10^th, 2012.

e guidance from this policy and pay compensation to the people of Balochistan too.

 

He further stated that good governance deteriorated at a time when the executive violated rules and regulations, adding that people disappeared, mutilated dead bodies surfaced and personnel of forces were being killed – but nobody was arrested.

The bench also took notice of the transfer of officers in the constituency of Balochistan Assembly Speaker Muhammad Aslam Bhotani and asked Balochistan Chief Secretary Babar Yaqoob Fetah Muhammad on whose orders these officers were transferred.

The chief secretary replied that the orders were issued from the Chief Minister House but were cancelled later.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 10^th, 2012.