A huge amount is required to undertake relief and rehabilitation works in the flood-hit areas as unprecedented floods in the country have resulted in losses to lives and infrastructure, said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

According to a statement received by WealthPK, Mr. Sharif said the entire process would be carried out in a transparent manner, adding that there is a need to put in place a sustainable system to cope with the challenges of climate change.

The prime minister visited the flood-affected areas and spoke to people after reviewing the restoration work at Sago Bridge. He said the country was grappling with an unprecedented flood situation that resulted in loss of lives, infrastructure and crops. He said that with the assistance of a philanthropist, the first 100 prefabricated houses with two rooms and a toilet would be built in Dera Ismail Khan to accommodate widows and orphans in the first phase.

He said the houses would be built in two weeks and he would personally visit the site to assess if the project could be replicated by the government in other parts of the country. He recalled that during his previous visit to Tank and Dera Ismail Khan districts after floods, the people were in the phase of rehabilitation and the floods hit them twice. He lauded the politicians, local administration and armed forces for acting in unison for the rescue of the affected people across the country.

Mr. Sharif outlined the damages to crops and livestock by floods which earlier used to be the means of livelihood for the locals. He said the government had ordered the purchase of 0.2 million tents to provide shelter to the homeless. He lauded the efforts of Communication Minister Maulana Asadur Rehman and Army Chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa for putting their efforts into pacing up the relief and rehabilitation activities in the flood-hit areas.

He also acknowledged the donations sent by the friendly countries to help Pakistan overcome the challenges. In Swat, he regretted, violation of building hotels and resorts in the river stream resulted in damages.

Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman thanked the prime minister for extending assistance to the people of the flood-affected areas and acknowledged the services of local officials, army personnel and welfare organizations. He said rehabilitation of the displaced was a challenge.

He stressed the need for a sustainable solution to floods in the area. These included building of small dams like Tank Zam and Nawab Haider and also big dams like Gomal Zam dam, he added.

Earlier, the prime minister was briefed on the damages incurred to people and infrastructure due to heavy floods.

The Dera Ismail Khan deputy commissioner said the heavy rains from Aug. 17 to 27 wreaked havoc in the district with 70pc of the population affected by the floods. He said the hill torrents from west to east swept away a large area before falling into the Indus River.

A National Highway Authority (NHA) official apprised the prime minister that the 600-kilometre long N-55 D I Khan-Razmak highway was restored in two days while the N-35 Korakoram Highway up to Kuchal Nullah towards Kohistan was restored by the Frontier Works Organization.

The prime minister also visited the Sago Bridge which had been swept away due to flash floods. He was informed that the bridge in the first torrential wave was restored within two days, however, the work was in progress after the second hit by floods.

Credit : Independent News Pakistan-WealthPk