The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) Chairman Lt Gen Muhammad Afzal on Monday announced the prime minister's relief package for the rain and snowfall affected areas of Balochistan.

Balochistan Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) Director General Imran Zargun briefed the chairman on the losses and damages caused by recent rain spell and snowfall in the province during his visit to the affected areas, a press release said.

Expressing his grief and sorrow over the loss of precious lives and properties in the province, the NDMA chairman announced a financial assistance package from the prime minister, saying that an amount of Rs500,000 would be extended to the families of every deceased person while Rs50,000 would be paid to those who were injured.

Apart from this, a financial assistance of Rs100,000 would be provided to the families whose houses had been completely damaged or collapsed while Rs25,000 to Rs 50,000 would be given to those whose houses were partially damaged, it added.

During the briefing, the Balochistan PMDA director-general apprised the NDMA chairman that due to inadequate heavy machinery for road clearance, the Balochistan PDMA faced challenges in restoring the road network.

NDMA chairman assured the Balochistan PDMA that their requirement for heavy roads clearance equipment would be met soon and funding for this equipment would be done through the National Disaster Management Fund (NDMF).

He announced that a comprehensive 'Disaster Management Training' would also be arranged for the relevant stakeholders and line departments of Balochistan government so that they would be better trained for coping with emergency situations.

Earlier, on Saturday, Balochistan Chief Minister Jam Kamal Khan Alyani, expressing his displeasure over the federal government departments’ attitude during the relief and rescue operation in snowfall-hit areas of the province, said that “Islamabad had left Balochistan alone”.

Presiding over a meeting that reviewed relief and rescue operation in the province, he said that no help had been provided by the relevant federal government’s departments to the provincial government.

“All officials and departments, including the federal secretary energy, NHA chairman, NDMA chairman and SSGC managing director have completely ignored Balochistan,” the chief minister said, adding that they should have reached Balochistan as the province suffered badly in the snowfall and rain calamity.