Staff Report
ISLAMABAD: The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) on Tuesday issued an advisory to caution general public to remain vigilant amid heavy rainfall forecast and impending risk of landslide due to the inclement weather.
According to the Pakistan Meteorological Department, a series of westerly winds would enter the western parts of the country on March 27th and cover the upper and central parts on March 28th, which would cause rain in the upper and central regions of the country till March 31st. However, due to rains there was a possibility of decrease in temperature, the news release said.
It added that landslides risk was also looming in Upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Murree, Galiyat, Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan due to heavy rain on March 29th and 30th. “There is a risk of damage to standing crops, weak infrastructure (electricity poles, vehicles, solar panels, etc.) due to wind/sleet/hail/thunder and heavy rain,” the NDMA said. The farmers should be careful during wind and rain, whereas the authorities concerned should take weather awareness measures to ensure the safety of tourists and travelers.
The tourists should plan their trip keeping in mind the climatic conditions of the hilly areas. NDMA is launching a mobile application soon to provide early warning of potential disasters and safety measures to the public.ction work immediately.
Terming Gwadar ‘the gateway of CPEC’, the minister said that the incumbent government had expedited the implementation on phase 2 of the CPEC while integrating it with five new economic corridors. “The development of Gwadar Port City, New Gwadar International Airport and East Bay Expressway is going to transform the city of Gwadar into a maritime trade hub and a new smart port for the region.
It will also lead to industrialization in Balochistan,” he added. The minister expressed confidence that all major projects under CPEC in Gwadar, including Gwadar Power Plant, distribution of 2000 Boat engines to fishermen of Gwadar, Khuzdar-Panjgur Transmission line (via Nag-Basima) which connect Markran with National Grid, New Gwadar International Airport Project, the China-Pak Friendship Hospital, China-Pak Technical and Vocational Institute in Gwadar, the Gwadar East-bay Expressway Project, Gwadar Free Zone, and Gwadar Port would become a shining pearl in the region. During the tenure of Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), he said several projects were completed by the then government in Gwadar particularly related to water and electricity that were neglected by the previous government deliberately.
“Besides, in budget 2023-24, the allocation of development funds for Balochistan had been doubled,” the minister remarked.
