News
Monday, September 19, 2011
Gilani calls on world to help flood victims in Pakistan* PM says magnitude of disaster is much beyond capacity of Pakistan
* Announces Rs 20,000 for each affected household
* Declares Tharparkar calamity-hit
MIRPURKHAS: Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani on Sunday again asked the international community to help seven million flood victims in Pakistan.
“The magnitude of disaster is much beyond the capacity of Pakistan,” the prime minister said while addressing the people in Naukot, Umerkot and Mirpurkhas, who are stranded in water giving look of an ocean.
Gilani said that the federal and provincial governments would not leave the people in lurch. The government will devote all resources for rescue in the first place and later on the rehabilitation of the affected people with dignity and honour, he added.
The prime minister announced that Rs 20,000 would be paid to each household on priority basis so that they can restart their lives.
He appreciated the work of the Prime Minister’s Flood Relief Committee comprising Senator Nayyar Bukhari, Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, Nazar Muhammad Gondal and Minister for Religious Affairs Syed Khurshid Shah, which has geared up federal and provincial machinery measuring up to the challenges of the disaster.
The prime minister said that he would personally supervise the relief and rehabilitation work in the worst-hit districts of Umerkot, Badin, Sanghar and Mirpurkhas through the Flood Relief Committee. Gilani declared entire Tharparkar as a calamity-hit district.
He told the crowds at different places that they would continue to get ration bags, medicines and tents and other necessities of life till their comprehensive rehabilitation.
The prime minister said that the army helicopters would be used to drop ration bags where road connectivity had become impossible.
“These are your governments and we are prime minister and chief minister because of you. We cannot tolerate this state of affairs to continue unabated, neither we will tolerate the neglect of the administration in mitigating the sufferings of the affected people,” he added.
The prime minister visited the relief camps in Naukot, Umerkot and Mirpurkhas and distributed ration bags among the flood victims. Setting aside protocol arrangements, the prime minister walked directly to the people and shared grief of women, children and the elderly.
Gilani expressed dissatisfaction over the performance of the Mirpurkhas and Sanghar administrations and directed them to put their house in order.
It may be mentioned that the government has figured out arrangements for providing 50,000 ration bags on a daily basis. The prime minister has directed the Ministry of Finance to release Rs 1.53 billion to cater to the requirements of the flood victims. During the visit, Textile Minister Makhdoom Shahabuddin, Adviser to PM Shahnaz Wazir Ali, MNAs and Baitul Maal Managing Director Zamurd Khan, accompanied the prime minister. app
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk