QUETTA: At least 20 of the 33 districts of Balochistan are facing drought where over 100,000 families and 1.7 million livestock have been affected so far.

Provincial Home Minister Mir Saleem Ahmed Khosa disclosed this while speaking at a press conference along with provincial minister Asadullah Baloch and adviser to the chief minister on livestock Metha Khan Kakar after attending a high-level meeting on Wednesday.

The meeting was presided over by Chief Minister Jam Kamal Khan Alyani to review reports sent by deputy commissioners of various districts on drought.

During the meeting, several decisions were taken to overcome the situation in 20 districts of the province.

The home minister said the provincial government had announced a special package of Rs500m for rehabilitation and providing relief to the people of drought-stricken districts of Balochistan.

Khosa says 100,000 families have already been affected

He said that according to the data collected so far, 109,339 families and 1,756,578 livestock had been affected in 20 districts, including Turbat, Panjgur, Chagai, Rakhshan, Gwadar, Pishin, Qila Saifullah, Qila Abdullah and Zhob.

Official sources told Dawn that the United Nations had conducted a survey after receiving information about the long drought and declared 14 districts of Balochistan as the worst-hit areas.

The sources said that the UN agency had informed the government that it would arrange $50m for providing assistance and relief to the victims.

At the press conference, the ministers said that it was decided during the meeting that the government would take all possible efforts for the rehabilitation of over seven million people who were facing after-effects of the drought.

They said that deputy commissioners of others districts had been asked to conduct surveys as well and send reports as soon possible.

“The provincial government has decided to approach international donors and relief organisations to seek their help in this regard,” Mr Khosa said, adding that the federal government would also be approached for financial assistance.

He said that free medical camps and dispensaries would be set up for providing medical facilities to the affected families and treatment of livestock in the drought-hit areas.

Replying to a question, Mr Baloch said that the government package per affected family would be decided according to their needs, but initially the package would be between Rs25,000 and 30,000 per family.

Published in Dawn, December 20th, 2018