Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has instructed injury assessments in the flooded areas that have been completed will be completed on emergencies.
He was chairman of a review via video link from New York on the recent flooding situation and ongoing relief and rehabilitation efforts immediately after his address at the United Nations General Assembly.
PM Shehbaz emphasized that estimates of damage to crops and infrastructure should be completed as soon as possible to enable effective planning for relief and rehabilitation.
The Prime Minister instructed the acceleration of relief and rehabilitation operations for flooded people. He said we will not rest until people in flooded areas are fully rehabilitated. He instructed the Minister of Planning Ahsan Iqbal to monitor Relief and Rehabilitation Operations closely and to hold regular review meetings.
PM Shehbaz instructed the President National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) to provide full cooperation with the provinces and provincial disaster management authorities (PDMAs).
He directed the National Highway Authority to accelerate the restoration work on the flood-affected part of the M-5 near the Sutlej river. The violation on the highway at Jalalpur Pirwala must be repaired immediately.
The Prime Minister instructed to take all the necessary steps to prevent waterborne diseases. He said special measures should be taken to grow appropriate crops in flooded areas.
PM Shehbaz said he raised the voice of Pakistanis affected by the negative effects of climate change at the UN General Assembly (Unga). He said that a developing country like Pakistan is continuously affected by natural disasters caused by climate change.
Read: The flooding hazard disappears over Pakistan, rehabilitation begins
The meeting was informed that about 350,000 people affected have returned to home from emergency camps and tent settlements. People in Sindh are still residing in some camps, but flooding water goes back quickly and they are expected to return home soon.
The meeting was further informed that the distribution of food and help to the people affected continues.
The meeting was informed that the Punjab government is taking exemplary measures to rehabilitation of the victims. Proposals were also presented regarding crop damage and farmer rehabilitation. The Prime Minister ordered a comprehensive report on damages to be prepared and submitted within a week.
Provincial Minister of Information and Culture Uzma Zahid Bukhari recently said the new relief package includes direct compensation for farmers, households and livestock owners. Affected farmers will receive RS20,000 per year. Acre, while families whose homes were destroyed will be paid RS1 million for complete loss and RS500,000 for partial damage. Compensation of RS500,000 is also awarded cattle loss.
According to official figures, the floods have affected more than 4.7 million people, including 2.6 million directly and losses of over 2.1 million livestock. About 27 districts and 4,794 villages along tidal belts have been affected with over 2,213 rescue and relief teams deployed in the field.
