June 28, 2007	Thursday	Jamadi-us-Sani 12, 1428

QUETTA, June 27: Chief Minister Jam Mohammad Yousuf has said that storm and heavy rains damaged houses and destroyed standing crops, but no human loss was reported from any part of Balochistan.

Informing the house on a point of order raised by opposition member Sardar Sanaullah Zehri, the chief minister on Tuesday claimed that the provincial government had taken all precautionary measures to protect people in the coastal belt of Balochistan.

Speaker Jamal Shah Kakar chaired the session.

Mr Yousuf contradicted the assertion of two provincial ministers -- Sher Jan Baloch and Mir Asghar Rind -– regarding the recovery of eight bodies from Pasni and maintained that he was in constant contact with the officials of Pakistan Navy and Army in Gwadar, Pasni, Ormara and Gadani.

He said the Navy had rescued seven fishermen and the people in low-lying areas of the coastal belt had been shifted to safe places.

The chief minister said he had urged the NWFP governor to talk to the president and the prime minister for the provision of funds to compensate the victims of rains and storm.

He said the provincial finance minister had been directed to release special funds to the quarters concerned to meet any eventuality.

Earlier, Gwadar Development Authority Minister Sher Jan Baloch said that the Navy officials had told him that eight bodies of fishermen had been recovered in Pasni.

Home Minister Mir Shoiab Nausherwani said that an emergency centre had been established at the home department to collect information from all district headquarters regarding the loss of life or damage to houses, crops and roads.