KP CM, Imran Khan visit flood-hit Tank, Dera Ismail Khan

Mehmood Khan says his govt has increased compensation package significantly for flood affecteesRs.

PESHAWAR    -   Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Mahmood Khan along with Paki­stan Tehreek-e-Insaf chairman Imran Khan on Friday paid a day long visit to flood affected dis­tricts of Tank and Dera Ismail Khan to review flood damages and ongo­ing relief activities in the flood-hit areas of these districts.

The concerned author­ities briefed that in de­tails about the overall flood situation, relief and rescue activities being carried out , and other line departments of the provincial government involved in relief oper­ations. They also paid a visit to the relief camp established at Sport Sta­dium Ratta Kulachi and inquired about the flood damages and relief activ­ities.

Talking to the media on the occasion, chief min­ister said that the pro­vincial government and its entire machinery in­cluding district adminis­tration and rescue agen­cies were fully mobilised whereas emergency has also been declared in the flood affected districts of the province. He said that additional rescue teams have been deput­ed in DI Khan to effec­tively deal with any un­expected situation. He said that the provincial government has released Rs one billion for relief activities and addition­al amount of Rs 2 billion would also be released without any delay.

Mahmood Khan said that the provincial gov­ernment was utilizing all available resources to give relief to the affect­ed people, adding that food and other necessary commodities were be­ing provided to the peo­ple affected by recent rains and flash floods. He termed this situation as a national tragedy and said that all the relevant institutions should play their proactive role to deal with this situation, but unfortunately, feder­al government agencies in the province were not playing their due role in present situation.

Mahmood Khan said that the flood affectees in all the districts were our brothers and sisters we will not let them alone in this difficult situation. He said that the provin­cial government will go all out to give relief to its people, adding that his government will even spend its development budget on the rehabilita­tion of flood affectees if needed.

He said that compen­sation package for flood affectees in the prov­ince had already been increased significantly, and now the efforts were underway to give imme­diate relief to the peo­ple. He directed the con­cerned administrations to approach each and every individual affected by the flood and extend all possible support to them adding that no one of us can stay satisfied until the complete reha­bilitation of the affected households.

PTI chairman Imran Khan, while talking to the media said that the chief ministers of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkh­wa were themselves monitoring the flood sit­uation in their prov­inces , and issuing nec­essary directives to the concerned authorities to this effect. He said that the assessment of dam­ages in all affected areas was in progress.

He said that dams were much needed for Pakistan and the construction of small and large dams was only solution to avoid the damages of floods as well. They also visited the re­lief camp in Tank where they enquired about the issues of flood affectees and facilities provided by the relevant provincial agencies. They also dis­tributed gifts amongst the children during their vis­it to the camps of flood af­fectees.

The chief minister was accompanied by Pro­vincial Minister Shaukat Yousafzai, and Chief Sec­retary Shahzad Bangash. Provincial Minister Faisal Amin Gandapur, PTI lead­ers Ali Amin Gandapur, Senator Shibli Faraz and others were also present on the occasion.