LAHORE/ISLAMABAD/SUKKUR: Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal Sunday said the recent floods had caused an estimated loss of Rs500 billion adding that the government will focus on self-reliance instead of seeking foreign aid or loans to get over with the challenge.Talking to agricultural expert Javed Saleem Qureshi and Secretary General of the Institute of Engineers Pakistan (IEP) Engineer Amir Zameer Khan here, he said the recent floods had once again pushed the country back in agriculture and economy.
“There is no need to panic; we must learn from the losses,” he said.
The minister said agricultural experts and ministers from all four provinces had been called to discuss the flood situation and rehabilitation of farmers.
“The losses of farmers will be remedied through consultation. Even after promises in 2022, the world did not provide assistance. This time, self-reliance is the priority, not assistance from others,” he maintained.
APP adds: In a related development, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif Sunday announced complete waiver of August electricity bills for all domestic consumers in flood-affected areas.
In addition to the loss of human lives, the floods have caused extensive damage to livestock, livelihoods, and homes of the affected population, he said while addressing the nation on the state-run PTI Sunday evening.
“The federal and provincial governments, the people, and the army are collectively carrying out rescue and relief operations in the affected areas. In view of the flood situation, it has been finally decided to waive off the August electricity bills of all domestic consumers in the flood-affected areas,” Shehbaz said.
“My brothers and sisters, we fully understand your hardship, and in this difficult time the federal government will pay your electricity bills. This is the rightful due of the flood victims,” he said.
Shehbaz said the domestic consumers in the affected areas, who had already paid their bills, will be refunded in the next month bill.
Clear instructions in this regard have already been issued.
The prime minister further said a detailed assessment of the losses incurred by electricity consumers in the agricultural, commercial, and industrial sectors of the affected areas was being conducted. Therefore, the collection of their August electricity bills is being deferred, he added.
He assured that if the assessment showed significant losses, further relief measures will be taken and necessary directions in this regard had been issued to the electricity distribution companies concerned.
Shehbaz said he was fully aware of the devastation caused by floods, the losses suffered, and the hardships being faced by elders, mothers, sisters, and daughters in the affected areas.
He termed the waiver a humble effort on behalf of ‘’Khadim-e-Pakistan’’, expressing hope that it would help reduce the difficulties of the flood victims.
Asim Yasin Yasin from Islamabad adds: The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Sunday welcomed the prime minister’s decision to waive the power bills in flood-hit areas, terming it the much-needed relief measure.
“The relief was granted following Chairman PPP Bilawal Bhutto Zardari’s consistent demand for waiving the electricity bills of flood-affected regions,” said the PPP Parliamentarians spokesperson Shazia Marri.
In a statement, she said Bilawal had earlier called on the federal government to cancel all electricity dues for the disaster-hit areas.
She further said the PPP also welcomed the federal government’s declaration of climate and agricultural emergency, which came in line with Bilawal’s earlier demands.
Shazia said the PPP chairman had urged the government to provide free seeds and fertilizers to all affected farmers, offer debt relief, and ensure compensation for flood victims.
She said Bilawal Bhutto had also called on the government to seek international aid through the United Nations and other global institutions, expressing concern over delays in issuing a flash appeal.
“There is no justification for depriving millions of victims of the much-needed international assistance,” Shazia stressed.
She said the PPP had already submitted resolutions in both the Senate and National Assembly in accordance with Bilawal’s directives.
She criticized the federal government for failing to announce relief for flood-affected families through the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP), calling it “deeply concerning.”
Our correspondent from Toba Tek Singh adds: Federal Minister for Finance Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb Sunday said rehabilitation of flood-affected people was the government’s top priority and all available national resources were being utilised to provide immediate relief.
Speaking to the media during his visit to the flood-hit areas of Kamalia, he assured that farmers and the general public would be facilitated in every possible way so they could resume their livelihoods at the earliest.
He said the government was considering announcing a special packages for farmers to enable them to sow their next crops on time.
He pointed out that a climate and agriculture emergency had already been declared to protect agricultural productivity and ensure timely rehabilitation of the flood victims.
The minister noted that declining global prices of oil and commodities would directly benefit Pakistan and added that the government was committed to curbing artificial price hikes.
He said loss assessment surveys were expected to be completed within the next 15 days, while distribution of seeds and fertilizers in affected areas was also in progress and ‘we pray for early receding of water from farmlands so that crops could be sown.’
Aurangzeb said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had set a 100-day target for rehabilitation of flood victims and Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, army and district administrations were actively engaged in relief efforts.
The finance minister distributed food rations, milk, toys and clothes among the affected families and their children.
APP adds: The National Highway Authority (NHA) Sunday said M5 had been closed for all types of traffic at Jalalpur Pirwala.
NHA sources told APP that there was a risk of breach on the motorway.
Meanwhile, PDMA Director General Irfan Ali Kathia also confirmed that M5 had been closed for all types of traffic at Jalalpur Pirwala.
He said the PDMA Punjab, the NHA and the administration concerned were taking steps to save the motorway with the help of sandbags and stones.
Ali Raza from Lahore adds: The Punjab Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) has issued an alert for the 11th spell of monsoon rains, warning that there was a possibility of rain in the upper reaches of the rivers from September 16 to 19.
According to the PDMA, there was a risk of flooding in rivers and drains.
PDMA officials said the death toll in the province had increased to 104, while millions of people had been affected. The Ravi, Chenab and Sutlej rivers have caused devastation in different areas of the province.
The PDMA director general appealed the citizens to avoid gathering near the rivers.
Around 4.57 million people and more than 4,700 villages have been affected in Punjab.
According to the Punjab Relief Commissioner Nabeel Javed, 2.512 million people and more than 2.019 million animals have been shifted to safer places.
As many as 392 relief camps, 493 medical camps and 422 veterinary camps have also been established in the affected districts.
According to the relief commissioner, Mangla Dam was 93 percent full and Tarbela Dam was 100 percent full.