-PM appeals nation to donate for flood victims
-Bilawal urges nation to priorities helping flood victims over ‘political drama’
-Sindh Educational Institutions to remain closed for two days
-Army continues flood relief activities across Pakistan
By Anzal Amin
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) predicted that the devastating monsoon season is not done yet and more rains are likely this week as a well-marked Low-Pressure Area (LPA) located over India’s east Rajasthan (India) is expected to move northwest and approach Sindh.
In its fresh weather advisory issued Tuesday, the Met Office warned that the strong weather system was penetrating monsoon currents in the southern and upper parts of Pakistan.
It said that additional rain-wind/thundershowers — with scattered heavy to very heavy falls — are expected in Sindh, south Punjab, south and northeastern Balochistan from Tuesday to Friday with occasional gaps.
“Rain-wind/thundershowers — with isolated heavy falls— are expected in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan from tonight to Friday with occasional gaps.”
Regarding the possible impact of the new system, the PMD said, heavy rains may generate urban flooding in Karachi, Hyderabad, Tando Jam, Thatta, Badin, Mirpurkhas, Sanghar, Khairpur, Shaheed Benazirabad, Dadu, Naushahro Feroze, Larkana, Jaccobabad, Sukkur, Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Bahawalpur, Multan, Lahore and Gujranwala on Wednesday and Thursday.
Furthermore, flash flooding is expected in Qilla Saifullah, Quetta, Ziarat, Harnai, Pishin, Loralai, Barkhan, Kohlu, Dera Bugti, Jhal Magsi, Mosa Khel, Zhob, Sherani, Sibbi, Naseerabad, Bolan, Awaran, Kalat, Khuzdar, Lasbela, hill torrents of Dera Ghazi Khan, local nullahs of Islamabad and Rawalpindi, Abbottabad, Mansehra, Dir, Karak, Lakki Marwat, Bannu and Kashmir from Wednesday to Friday.
The department added that rainfall may also trigger landslides in Kashmir, hilly areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Galiyat, Murree, Chillas, Diamer, Gilgit, Hunza, Astore, Ghizer and Skardu during the forecast period. It further advised travellers and tourists to remain cautious during the period.
The Sindh government has announced closure of schools and colleges for two days on August 24 and 25 in view of the heavy rain predictions.
The two-day holiday was announced for schools and colleges by the Sindh government after the prediction of heavy rains across the province.
The provincial education minister Sardar Shah announced that the education centres will be closed on Wednesday and Thursday following the rain predictions.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has appealed to the nation to donate for rehabilitation of the people and infrastructure in flood-hit areas where hundreds have been killed and thousands rendered homeless.
In a statement released here on Tuesday, the Prime Minister said the government was distributing Rs 37.2 billion as cash relief among the flood-stricken people.
“Rs 5 billion have immediately been released to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) to accelerate the rescue, relief and rehabilitation efforts,” he noted.
He said Rs 25,000 cash assistance was being paid to the flood victims in addition to the compensation of Rs1 million for the family of the deceased, and additional support for the injured people and damages to the houses.
“All this requires Rs 80 billion. It also requires hundreds of billions of rupees to overcome the losses as well as for rehabilitation of the victims,” the premier added.
PM Shehbaz Sharif further said that the provincial governments were working round the clock in collaboration with the federal government and armed forces.
He said the country had received unprecedented rains this year breaking the 30-year average rainfall record, particularly in Sindh and Balochistan which caused flashfloods to kill hundreds of people.
Conveying his prayers for those injured in the calamity, the prime minister said the flash floods had left a huge number of people homeless besides causing losses to livestock, crops, orchards and other properties.
The prime minister said the government was carrying out relief and rehabilitation works with utmost responsibility and honesty. The helicopters had been provided for relief operations in the areas where roads and bridges had been destroyed.
He urged the people to donate to the flood relief fund wholeheartedly, reviving the spirit of the sacrifice shown by the Ansar-e-Madina out of the love for the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him).
Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Tuesday urged the nation to prioritise assistance of flood-affected victims across the country instead of the “everyday political dramas”.
The PPP leader made these remarks a day after the Sindh government declared 23 districts of the province calamity-hit after torrential rains wreaked havoc causing heavy loss of human life, livestock, and destruction of thousands of mud-thatched houses, roads and bridges.
Hyderabad, Thatta, Badin, Tando Mohammad Khan, Dadu, Sujawal, Tando Allahyar, Jamshoro, Matiari, Mirpurkhas, Umerkot, Shaheed Benazirabad, Naushahro Feroze, Sanghar, Sukkur, Khairpur, Ghotki, Larkana, Kashmore, Kandhkot, Shikarpur, Qamber Shahdadkot and Jacobabad were among the areas that had been declared disaster-hit.
Talking to the media in Qambar Shahdadkot Tuesday, Bilawal requested people to dispatch relief goods to flood-hit areas of Sindh, saying that the spell of rain in Sindh has lasted over a month leading to immense devastation.
“We have requested the government to provide relief to rain-hit people through the Benazir Income Support Programme.”
The PPP co-chairman highlighted that the people who had been injured during the rain would be compensated by the provincial government but rain affectees could only be assisted through the BISP.
Bilawal acknowledged that the civil administration of the province had fewer resources in comparison to the requirements. “There is a huge demand and supply gap. We don’t have tents as per our requirement.
“But we have to tackle this situation even if our resources are meagre,” he vowed.
The minister added that the administration and Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah have appealed to the army for help. “The CM may also request the navy to assist the civil administration in helping people.”
Bilawal regretted that not a single piece of land had been spared by monsoon rains, raising concerns over difficulties faced by the administration in reaching out to all affected areas.
Pakistan Army troops were carrying out rescue and relief operations in flood-hit areas of Sindh, Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab, said Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) on Tuesday.
According to ISPR, rescue and relief efforts are underway in Hyderabad, Sanghar, Badin, Thatta, Jamshoro, Naushero Feroze and other flood-hit districts of Sindh.
Special Army helicopters were flown from Karachi to affected areas of interior Sindh to speed up rescue and relief efforts. The ration is being distributed in affected areas and medical aid is also being provided to the affected people.
In Punjab, Pakistan Army Helicopters have assisted civil administration in the distribution of relief goods for flood-hit people in far-flung and inaccessible areas of DG Khan district.
Pak Army Aviation Helicopters have flown four sorties for relief operations in most affected areas of DG Khan which included Mubarki, Fazla Katch, Basti Buzdar.
Tents and ration were transported for flood victims. Army and FC Balochistan are assisting civil administration in Quetta, Pishin, Qila Saif Ullah, Ziarat, Zhob, Loralai and Noshki.
Relief camps have been established in Naseerabad, Duki and Lasbela areas. Army and FC medical camps are also established in affected areas. FC KP troops are assisting civil administration in flood relief operations in Chitral and other flood hit areas.
