LAHORE: The Punjab government on Sunday announced flood emergency across the province to deal with the heavy rains and floods that have claimed more than 100 lives in the country, Radio Pakistan reported.
According to a handout issued in Lahore, Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif directed concerned authorities and departments to speed up the relief work for the flood and rain-hit people.
The chief minister also directed provincial ministers, commissioners and DCOs to remain in the field to facilitate the flood victims.
Some 69 people have died in worst-hit Punjab province, another 48 in Azad Kashmir, and 11 in Gilgit-Baltistan, spokesperson for National Disaster Management Authority Ahmed Kamal told AFP.
Heavy rains are easing and have stopped altogether in parts of Pakistan following the floods that have hit 108 villages and damaged farmland in the country.
PM visits flood-hit areas
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif visited the severely flood-affected area of Sialkot and Narowal districts to review the ground situation on Sunday. He assured the government was making all out efforts in relief activities and termed the situation “unexpected”. Accompanied by Defense Minister Khawaja Asif, the premier took a detailed aerial view of urban and rural flood-hit areas.
Express News screengrab of PM Nawaz Sharif and Defense Minister Khawaja Asif.
He noted that rivers, including Chenab and others, were at their peak flood level, causing enormous loss to crop fields, as well as city areas. PM Nawaz said residents of various flood-hit areas were relocated as both the civil administration and the armed forces were carrying out relief and rescue operations, adding that the government should be assisted in its efforts as it was more important than “staging sit-ins”.
Pakistan Army continues relief work
Pakistan Army continues its relief and rescue operations in flood-hit areas of Punjab, said a statement issued by the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) on Sunday.
The areas include Rawalpindi, Jhelum, Hafizabad, Gujranwala, Sialkot, Chinot and Mandi Bahauddin, among others.
The statement added that army troops have also moved to Multan, DG Khan, Liyyah, Sahiwal and Trimoo headworks to help those in distress in this time of crises.
The ISPR stated that on Sunday 16 helicopters rescued 2300 people from flood-hit areas of Punjab, including Chiniot, Kot Momin Phalia, Hafizabaz, Khanki, Qadirabad, Bajwat, among others.
“Food packs were dropped by army helicopters in various places, while over 6500 stranded have been moved to safer places so far, the statement added. “Besides ground troops, 300 boats and five helicopters have been employed for rescue and relief activities.”
COMMENTS (18)
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@Blithe: Because N league has been in power for decades in Punjab.
@Ghafoor: @ PTI Trolls: SS is far better than the puppet CM Pervaiz Khattak, who is still dancing in Islamabad while enjoying the protocols & free stay at Frontier House to enjoy the mujra of Imran Khan. Imran Khan enjoying his stay in comfy container with brief slippages to Banigala during the past 24 days.... Only the genuine leadership of the people is in the field to provide relief!
The demostrating mob raised the demands which is a ground reality in Pakistan but no one of them has suggested a workable solution to these menace . One small party with the help of few thousand supporters has locked the opposition and govt. at a time when they should be with the flood affected people . They are the people compelled the govt. not to respect Indus water treaty, dispite of that India has already constructed many dams in the encatchment zone of these rivers . Imagine what would happened when India will open the gates of these dams in this flood season . Don't forget that the Indus valley civilization had been wipped off due to such floods in the past . IK and Quadry has to fix their peiority first . The change they want may take decades to realize and can not be achieve through Mobocracy at least till then ensure the existence of the land on which they are standing today .
Chief Minister Punjab is the best amongst all chief minsters of Pakistan. For better governance, other provinces should also be handed over to Mian Sahib. Incompetent people always blame the competent person. Keep going and keep doing good job Mian Sahib,
@Parvez: How childish of people to play politics when there is a natural disaster. India is also struggling with the floods. Pakistan has hardly had democracy for 6 six years but true to 3 rd world form, people expect everything to be fixed in a democracy overnight. Learn to work together for the betterment of society and not play politics with floods and death. Eventually if people take the right approach and demand that more proactive measures are taking with a long term view to prevent floods and have a more efficient warning system, such incidents can be controlled.
So now Punjab is in emergency, so they will get emergency funds too in addition to major share of the budget.......Punjab is Pakistan
if money would have been spent on small dam instead of Metro...there must be different picture..Still we have time for future.. please remember this is not last time floods will continue to come we revise the priorities....
What about POK where also there has been massive flood and loss of life and property ? Has Pakistan PM visited POK ? Look at the other side of the border how Indian PM and entire Indian machinery is working in the relief work in J&K. Modi has extended help to POK also through the Pakistan government. http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/floods-in-jammu-and-kashmir-a-national-calamity-says-pm-modi-highlights-587965
Khawaja Asif looks amused looking at his hometown Sialkot completely submerged and watching his beloved Pak Army helping the drowning masses. Nice Gucci glasses though!
"Punjab govt declares flood emergency across province".The second best way to loot public money after underpasses and overheads.
@Blithe:
Dictionary definition of Blithe = "showing a casual and cheerful indifference considered to be callous or improper"
Nothing more needs to be said.
i demand the resignation of CM Punjab for not taking the proper measures in last 6 years.
Shahbaz Sharif cannot escape from this as PMLN is the only party who is in power in Punjab since last 6 years
This is the fifth Sharif family provincial government. Had they developed a mass drain system accompanied with small dams across the province there would have been a lot less loss of life and assets but then what's the use of doing something where mass commissions are not a possibility !!??
@Ghafoor: And why don't PTI trolls get CM KPK to resign . He was dancing on top of a container instead if providing succor to the victims in Peshawar
The rains are not as much to blame......as the inept, self serving policies of the government.