GILGIT, Aug 16: Northern Areas Legislative Council Speaker Haji Malik Miskeen has urged the federal government to take immediate steps to rehabilitate flood-affected people in the Northern Areas. He was briefing reporters in his chamber on Saturday.

“No support to them means deprivation and this deprivation will be on the rise if they are not rehabilitated forthwith,” the speaker said.

He said Ghuwari and Kuru villages in the Gangche district were worst hit by the recent floods.

The speaker called upon the military commander in the Northern Areas to make sure that steps were taken for the removal of flood silt.

He said he would soon write a letter to the prime minister to request him to sanction funds for the flood victims and to those who were killed in the sectarian violence in Gilgit during the last eight months.

MILD Quake: A mild quake jolted the Northern Areas on Monday night at around 11:40pm causing mudslides at roads leading to Ghizer, Skardu, Hunza, Nagar, Chilas and Astore.

No loss of life or property was reported the police said.

The quake measured 4.9 on the Richter scale with its epicentre between Kashmir and the Northern Areas.