By NNN-APP
Turbat : President General Pervez Musharraf Friday vowed to rebuild the flood and cyclone-affected areas of Balochistan and Sindh, saying the reconstruction would be ensured better than before by utilizing all government resources.
Addressing the gathering at Kech Stadium, Turbat after flying in here to review the relief and rehabilitation efforts in the rain-affected areas, President Musharraf said damage assessment of the affected property would also be carried out immediately and the people will be paid to rebuild their property.
He said those displaced due to lake construction along Mirani Dam had already been compensated. However, after increasing the lake’s capacity from 257 to 264 feet, the recently displaced families would also be compensated.
He said in command area of Mirani Dam, a network of canals would be spread covering 33,000 acres barren land. He said it would not only irrigate the fields but also provide locals an opportunity for business of fisheries.
President Musharraf said he was extremely saddened by the devastation in Balochistan and vowed that the government would help the people build homes better than they earlier had.
He assured the people of swift action for their rehabilitation by the government authorities and said a team of doctors from Punjab was in the affected areas to provide medical aid to the people.
He regretted that damaged roads caused some hinderance in relief activities, however added that efforts continued for providing people relief material by alternate means particularly air-dropping.
According to NDMA survey, the affected population in Balochistan has been estimated 1.1 million, while over 100,000 people have been rendered homeless.
The government has already sent about 960 tons of relief goods so far to the rain-hit areas, while 111 tons of relief goods were shipped via sea to Balochistan.
The federal government has sent 73 truckloads of relief items besides providing 17,500 tents, 32,000 blankets and 4000 mattresses to people in the affected areas in Balochistan and NWFP.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz on Friday appreciated the role of armed forces in evacuating people from flood affected areas and carrying out relief activities in a befitting manner. The Prime Minister was talking to Rao Sikandar Iqbal, Senior Minister for Defence who called on him at PM House in ISLAMABAD.
The Prime Minister said armed forces not only protected country’s territorial integrity in all times, but also helped people in emergency situations including floods, earthquake and other natural disasters.
In SUKKUR, the Pakistan Army started a relief operation in flood-hit areas of Shahdaddkot-Kumber and other Katcha areas of the Larkana.
General Officer Commanding (GOC) Pano Akil Garrison, Major General Mumataz Bajwa told APP on Friday that an Army Flood Relief Centre has been established at the Shahdadkot to monitor relief works and medical teams comprising three doctors and other medical staff had been visiting many villages, including Qubo Saeed village, FP Bund area and various village of the Kumber district.
He said that the medical teams are engaged for the provision of treatment to sick villagers and till now about 200 patients from different areas have been treated under the Army’s medical cover.
The medicos also vaccinated 50 children of under five years, he added.
He said that Army staff has engaged with boats to rescue people who are marooned in different villages while some 50 tents have been also provided to people who lost their homes.