Staff Report
ISLAMABAD: National Flood Response Coordination Centre (NFRCC) Chairperson Ahsan Iqbal urged media personnel on Thursday to continue highlighting the devastation and suffering caused by the unprecedented floods that lashed the country this monsoon season.
Addressing a presser at the NFRCC with senior journalists and military persons present, the minister expressed appreciation for the media for shedding light on the flood situation, and indicating where relief efforts were necessary.
The forum briefed the senior journalists about damages to life, property, communication, and infrastructure as well as the relief efforts underway. It further discussed the opening of rail and road networks, among other rehabilitation plans for bringing the victims into routine life. The NFRCC chief reviewed the destruction caused by the floods and the role of the armed forces, civil administration, and various organisations in rehabilitation.
“During this crisis, there are heroes who worked day and night and put their own lives in danger to save others”, Ahsan said, adding that he had met with on-ground officers and relief workers and could see the pain in their eyes to help those in distress. Last week, the NFRCC moved to allay fears of food shortage in the wake of devastating floods in the country, saying that sufficient stocks of various commodities were available.
The nerve centre of the country’s flood response said that enough quantity of wheat, rice, tomato etc was available in the stocks, while potatoes, onions, pulses and grains were being imported to meet the domestic demand.
“The country does not face any food shortage,” the NFRCC said. “A huge stock of wheat for the next six months is available along with a strategic reserve of two million tons, which will be sufficient till the next harvest,” it added.
