Chitralis seek Rs2b package for flood victims

CHITRAL: The office-bearers of Chitral Action Forum on Tuesday complained that the federal and provincial governments had totally ignored the families devastated by the recent rains and floods in Lower and Upper Chitral districts.

Speaking at a press conference, Chitral Action Forum president Raziatullah, Shabbir Ahmad, Sher Hussain, Bashir Ahmad, Amanullah and others said that the flashfloods triggered by the torrential rains had wreaked havoc in the two districts.

They said that scores of shops, houses, roads, bridges had been washed away while standing crops, vegetables and fruit orchards destroyed Yarkhun, Broghil, Shishikoh, Kalash Valley, Gehtak Adda and others in Lower and Upper Chitral but even a single minister or lawmaker had not yet visited the area to console the affectees.

They said that they hoped that a comprehensive relief package would be announced keeping in view the floods’ devastations in the two districts but the chief secretary only pledged Rs40 million for Lower and Upper Chitral.

They complained that the government was spending billions of rupees on the perks and privileges of officials of National Disaster Management Authority and Provincial Disaster Management Authority but the affectees of floods and other disasters got only in peanuts.

They appealed to the federal and provincial governments to release Rs2 billion to rehabilitate the affectees in the two districts.