Aseefa distributes house ownership papers among flood-hit women

SUKKUR/ HYDERABAD: First Lady Aseefa Bhutto Friday visited the flood rehabilitation project at Shaheed Benazirabad and distributed house ownership documents to the affected women.

World Bank Managing Director Anna Bjerde, Country Director Najy Benhassine and Chief Minister Syed Murad Shah accompanied her.

The project, under the Sindh People’s Housing for Flood Affected (SPHF) program, aims to rebuild homes destroyed by the 2022 devastating floods.

Aseefa and Anna Bjerde distributed ownership rights certificates to the women homeowners and met with the female members of the Village Reconstruction Committee (VRC), who showcased their handicraft works.

The committee told the delegation that 32 homes destroyed in the village had been rebuilt.

Anna Bjerde reaffirmed the World Bank’s commitment to supporting the Sindh government in flood recovery efforts and praised the resilience of the local people and the leadership’s dedication.

She emphasised that sustainable community level rehabilitation was achievable despite climate change challenges.

Aseefa highlighted that granting women ownership rights under the SPHF project was a historic socio-economic empowerment initiative taken by the Sindh government, significantly benefiting the rural women.

Murad Ali Shah noted that over 2.4 million homes were destroyed in the 2022 floods.

He said the World Bank initially provided $500 million to kickstart the recovery and later increased the funding by $450 million over two years. This support has helped construct 778,000 homes.

Near Jamshoro toll plaza, a group of protesters rallying against canals projects and corporate farming stopped the first lady’s convoy.

According to eyewitnesses, the demonstrators chanted slogans and blocked vehicles in the convoy with their hands and sticks. Some vehicles were reportedly hit, but no injuries were reported. Police personnel accompanying the convoy quickly intervened and safely escorted Aseefa Bhutto Zardari’s vehicle out of the protest area. An FIR was registered in connection with the incident.

SSP Jamshoro Zafar Siddique Chhangha the convoy was halted for less than a minute and was immediately secured and cleared to head to destination.