PM orders smooth power supply to flood-hit areas of KP for next week
Shehbaz reiterates commitment for polio-free Pakistan
At least 358 dead as KP reels from devastating floods; rehabilitation efforts underway
Staff Report
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has directed uninterrupted electricity supply to flood-affected areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for the next week.
He was chairing a meeting in Islamabad today to review ongoing rescue and relief activities by federal government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, GilgitBaltistan and Azad Jammu Kashmir.
Shehbaz Sharif ordered immediate completion of procedures for distributing financial assistance to the flood-affected people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He instructed to immediately double the number of trucks carrying relief goods.
He advised the Minister for Water Resources MianMueenWatto to immediately reach Azad Kashmir and Minister for Public Affairs to Swabi and personally oversee the relief activities. He commended Federal Ministers Engineer Amir Muqam, Abdul Aleem Khan, SardarAwais Khan Leghari, SardarYousaf, and Special Assistant Mubarak Zeb for visiting affected areas and supervising infrastructure restoration to help the affectees.
Shehbaz Sharif also expressed gratitude to provincial chief ministers, chief secretaries, federal secretaries, Pakistan Army, National Highway Authority, Frontier Works Organization, and rescue and relief agencies for their swift response following his directives.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday reaffirmed that the government’s health sector team, polio workers, and all relevant institutions were determined to completely eradicate polio from the country.
The prime minister, in a meeting with a delegation of Rotary International Foundation, led by President Francesco Arezzo here, thanked the organisation for its full cooperation, like other international organizations, in eliminating this deadly disease from Pakistan.
He said that despite challenges, the government was resolved to secure the future of Pakistan’s children through its unwavering commitment and hard work.
There are difficulties in eradicating polio, but it is not impossible. The key role of polio workers in polio campaigns is commendable, he remarked
The members of the delegation praised the government’s polio eradication efforts and expressed hope that, with Prime Minister Shehbaz’s special focus and leadership, Pakistan would soon be able to eliminate this deadly disease.
Reaffirming Rotary International’s commitment to continue supporting the government in its polio eradication efforts, they said that the organisation spent $500 million on polio eradication in Pakistan last year and intended to allocate a substantial amount for this purpose this year as well.
The delegation also appreciated the selection of the polio eradication team by the prime minister and the measures taken by that team.
The meeting was attended by Federal Health Minister Syed Mustafa Kamal, the Prime Minister’s Special Representative for Polio Eradication Ayesha RazaFarooq, and relevant senior officials.
At least 358 dead as KP reels from devastating floods; rehabilitation efforts underway
At least 358 people died as a result of heavy flooding and downpour in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa over the last three days, while rehabilitation efforts are still underway as the province recovers from the record deluge, the Provincial Disaster Management Authority said on Tuesday.
Record rains in KP, which started on August 15, have wreaked havoc across the province. Last week, the provincial government declared an emergency as torrential rains ravaged homes, displaced families, and left a trail of destruction across Buner, Swat, Shangla, Mansehra, and beyond.
According to the latest data from the KP PDMA, 358 people have died in rain-related incidents since August 15, with Buner reporting the highest toll at 225. Another 181 people were injured, while the dead included 287 men, 41 women and 30 children.
Buner was the worst-hit district in the province, where flash flooding and building collapses left 225 people dead, including 193 men, 23 women and nine children, according to the report. Another 120 people sustained injuries.
Following Buner, Shangla district reported 36 deaths from flash floods, while 22 fatalities were recorded in Mansehra, another 22 in Bajaur, and 20 in Swat, where both flash flooding and infrastructure damage claimed lives.
Flash flooding in the KP’s Swabi district also left 17 dead, according to the PDMA.
Due to separate roof collapse incidents, five people died in Lower Dir, and another two people lost their lives in Noshewra.
Abbotabad, Torghar, and South Waziristan recorded one death each, the report noted.
According to the PDMA data, the total number of houses damaged throughout the province was 780, out of which 349 were completely destroyed and another 431 sustained partial damage. Buner suffered the most damage, leaving 162 houses destroyed. The number of cattle that perished was 427.
“It has been forecasted that the current cycle of rains to continue intermittently until August 21,” KP PDMA Spokesperson AnwerShahzad said in a statement.
Baltistan Highway reopened for traffic: Separately, the flood-ravaged Baltistan Highway was reopened for all kinds of traffic, according to ShahzadBaig, officer of the GilgitBaltistan Disaster Management Authority (GBDMA).
Musadik Malik pledges support for flood-hit regions, calls for global climate justice
Federal Minister for Climate Change Musadik Malik on Tuesday reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to elevating climate change issues internationally, stressing that beyond political differences, the federal government is standing shoulder to shoulder with the people of GB, KP and AJK, mobilizing all resources to address the flood crisis.
In a conversation with a private news channel, he conveyed his condolences to those impacted by the devastating floods. He recognized the scale of the disaster and the pain endured by the families affected.
Every minister is on the ground, coordinating and utilizing all available machinery, ambulances and resources to restore connectivity and infrastructure in the flood-affected areas, he added.
He explained that major highways and roads have been cleared within 24 hours, while specialized teams are working to repair severely damaged power grids and water systems.
Malik emphasized that the federal government’s top priority is to ensure all resources reach those who need them most without delay.
Responding to a query, he stated that more than 700 people have died during current monsoon and over 100 are missing due to the devastating floods, describing it as a massive natural calamity.
He also pointed out that rising temperatures are causing extreme weather events like cloudbursts, citing last year’s incident in Sindh as an example.
He noted that temperatures in KP and GB are increasing by about 4 degrees Celsius each year, worsening the impact of such natural disasters.
Responding to a question about the Loss and Damage Fund, he explained that eight major countries, responsible for about 70% of global carbon emissions, are the primary recipients of the fund.
However, Pakistan is not among these countries and unfortunately, these major polluters are utilizing around 85% of the available financing for themselves. The remaining 15% is shared among other nations, while Pakistan has yet to receive a single penny from this fund.
He further added that although 70 million dollars have been disbursed to various countries under this fund, Pakistan has received nothing so far.
He said Pakistan successfully brought attention to the rising plastic contamination in oceans. Following Pakistan’s initiative, around 46 countries supported the cause within three days, culminating in a joint declaration signed by six nations.
He emphasized Pakistan’s commitment to consistently raising this issue at every international forum.
He also called for global climate justice, demanding fair and timely access to climate finance for Pakistan, highlighting the urgent need for international support to address the country’s growing climate vulnerabilities.
