‘Rescue, relief ops to be continued until floods recede in affected area’

NAROWAL: Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) central leader and Federal Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal said on Sunday that the rescue and relief operations would be continued until floods recede in the affected areas, ARY News reported.

While addressing a press conference, Ahsan Iqbal urged the Pakistanis to support the government in rehabilitating the flood-affected people. He said that different parts of Sindh are still facing flood situations. He added that Pakistan faced the disasters of climate change.

The federal minister said that the national economy was severely affected by the floods and collective efforts were needed to cope with the challenges.

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Iqbal said that the rescue and relief operations would be continued until the flood water receded from the affected areas. The armed forces teams were busy carrying out rescue and relief activities for the flood victims.

Ahsan Iqbal said that the rehabilitation process was started in the areas where flood water receded. The friendly states and global community were providing aid to Pakistan, whereas, concerned institutions were actively taking part in the relief activities.

He assured that transparency will be maintained in the rehabilitation process of the flood-affected areas.

READ: POWER SUPPLY FULLY RESTORED TO ALL GRID STATIONS AFFECTED BY FLOODS: MINISTER

Earlier, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah said that three to six months will be required to drain out rain and floodwater from submerged areas of the province. CM Shah accompanied by the acting governor of Sindh Siraj Durrani was talking to the media.

“Flooding and rainfall have destroyed thousands of houses in Sindh with around 1500 deaths,” the chief minister said. “The people have lost livestock of around 50 billion rupees,” he said.

“Around 350 billion rupees losses to the farmers reported in the province,” Murad Ali Shah said.

“We have asked the United Nations Secretary-General, not about funds, but the need for medicines and other essential items,” the chief minister said.

“At least 12.5 million people have been affected by the disaster,” he said. “We have devised a programme for rehabilitation,” he said. “In Karachi, 18,000 people have reached and the government have a record of it”.