Steps on to mitigate sufferings of flood victims, says CM Mahmood Khan

CHITRAL: Chief Minister Mahmood Khan said on Saturday that the government was utilising all the available resources to mitigate the hardships of the flood-hit people.

He was addressing the cheque distribution ceremony at Reshun village. He said that he would again visit Chitral and announce a special package for its rehabilitation and development. Member National Assembly Maulana Abdul Akbar Chitrali, Special Assistant to Chief Minister on Minority Affairs Wazirzada, Chief Secretary Kazim Niaz, Commissioner Malakand Zaheerul Islam and high-ups of district administration were present on the occasion. He paid a daylong visit to flood-hit areas in Chitral, including Reshun in Upper Chitral and Golen Gol in Lower Chitral, to assess the damage caused by recent rains and floods.

He also reviewed the rehabilitation activities being carried out by departments concerned. During the visit, the chief minister distributed financial assistance cheques among the victims of the flood and expressed sympathy with them. The chief minister said that the provincial government was standing by the affected people and would spare no effort to provide them relief, adding that a comprehensive plan had been formulated for them. Mahmood Khan said the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government bifurcated Chitral into the Lower and Upper districts to facilitate the people.

The chief minister directed the authorities concerned for installation of steel access bridge at Reshun. He said that the provincial government had taken cognizance of the sufferings of people affected by floods. Mahmood Khan appreciated the role of government’s departments in carrying out relief and rehabilitation activities. The chief minister assured the flood victims that rehabilitation work on roads, water supply schemes, irrigation channels and other installations destroyed by recent floods would be completed at the earliest. Mahmood Khan said that he would visit other flood affected areas in the province, including Torghar and Shangla, to review the damage. Earlier in the day, the chief minister was given a detailed presentation on damage caused by the floods and the rehabilitation plan. The chief minister was informed that essential non-food items and food items had been distributed among the flood affectees while a plan was already formulated for the restoration of infrastructure damaged by floods.

The chief minister was informed that Chitral-Booni-Mastuj road has been federalised. He was also briefed about the estimated cost and restoration plan of damaged roads, bridges, water supply schemes, construction of embankments along the river, irrigation channels and protection walls.