22 October 2004	Friday	07 Ramazan 1425

PESHAWAR, Oct 21: The NWFP government has urged the centre to announce a relief package for the rain-affected people of Chitral, who have been facing shortage of food and medicines for three weeks.

Briefing newsmen after his visit to the affected tehsils of Chitral, NWFP Information Minister Asif Iqbal said the rains had destroyed crops, orchards, roads and telephone and power systems in the upper parts of the district.

The local government with the assistance of the provincial departments had repaired the roads and restored power supply to the district headquarters, but the residents of Booni in upper Chitral were living without electricity, he said.

He said eight people were killed during the rains.

"The provincial government has provided Rs100,000 to each bereaved family, but it is a meagre amount for them. We have requested the federal government to announce a special relief package for the calamity-hit district," he said.

The minister urged non-government organizations to help the needy people, especially in the Boony area.

He said the government had granted Rs7.5 million for upgrading the infrastructure and provided 100 tents and 500 blankets to the people whose houses had been damaged.