ISLAMABAD, Aug 25 (ABC): Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif Thursday ordered immediate distribution of cash assistance among the flood affectees and also directed the ministries of Economic Affairs and Finance to come up with a comprehensive strategy to deliver the aid announced by the international institutions and organizations during the donors conference.
He was chairing a meeting on the rescue and relief operation in the aftermath of the situation arising out of recent rains and floods. During the three-hour long meeting, the prime minister took important decisions for the rescue and relief of the flood affectees.
Federal ministers, National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) chairman, Sindh chief minister, chief secretaries and officials concerned attended the meeting. The prime minister was given a detailed briefing on the facts and figures of losses in the floods and about the ongoing rescue and relief operations. He also called an emergency high level meeting of all the provincial governments.
The chief ministers of the provinces, Azad Jammu & Kashmir prime minister and Gilgit Baltistan chief minister will attend the meeting. He also formed committees for the speedy and orderly assistance to the flood hit victims. Separate committees headed by the federal ministers and allied leaders were set up on the issues of clean drinking water, tents, mosquito nets, medicines and medical aid and rations.
The notifications for the committees would be issued tonight. The prime minister also decided to call a meeting of the ambassadors in Islamabad to take them into confidence on the loss of humans and material during the recent rains and floods. The envoys would be informed in detail about the government’s rescue and assistance operation. He directed the Ministry of Finance to utilize all available resources for the immediate rescue and assistance of the flood affectees.
He said the flood affected people should be provided as much assistance as possible. He took strict notice of the delay in the distribution of the ongoing relief cash programme under the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP). He expressed his displeasure over the non-implementation of the direction issued in the last meeting for distribution of the flood relief cash in three days. He categorically ordered that Rs 25,000 of cash assistance should be distributed among each affected family by September 2.
He warned that strict action would be taken against the bank which would fail to meet its target. He also asked the National Highway Authority to send all of its machinery for the help of the people stranded in water. In case the machinery was not enough, it should be immediately arranged from the private sector. He also directed that contacts should be made with the Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) and the Naval Chief for ensuring boats for the rescue of people in the affected areas.
He directed the Flood Relief Committee to immediately seek help of the Pakistan Army for the rescue of flood affectees and relief operation and for organizing the relief activities.The DGMO should be immediately taken into confidence, and the rescue and relief operations of the government and the operations of the army should be coordinated and organized as a single operation, he stressed. The PM also ordered that the number of tents for the affectees should be increased from 50,000 to 200,000 in view of the large scale damage to the houses.
