DERA ISMAIL KHAN: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf chairman Imran Khan on Friday asked for an immediate acceleration of relief efforts for the flood victims in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as he visited the flood-hit Dera Ismail Khan and Tank districts to oversee the situation and meet the marooned families.

Talking to mediapersons after inspecting the flood relief camp set up for the affected people at the Ratta Kulachi Sports Complex here, the PTI chairman said that the calamity had surpassed the destruction caused by the 2010 floods in Sindh.

“We used to think of the 2010 floods as an unimaginable catastrophe, but according to reports, the devastation and the loss of life caused this time is far greater.

The construction of dams is extremely important for Pakistan. If there were dams, this water could have played an important role in the development of the region but now the entire nation will have to bear the burden of the flood damage in Sindh and Balochistan. During my tenure, I had planned to construct 10 dams,” he said.

Visits flood-hit Dera Ismail Khan and Tank districts

Imran said, “I am under pressure to raise funds from the public for flood relief, but I will not raise funds until I have a clear picture of whether I can spend the money fairly or not. Our governments in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab will actively participate in all possible relief activities for the flood victims.”

The PTI chairman issued instructions to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Mahmood Khan to ensure immediate release of funds for the rehabilitation of the victims after assessing the losses on an emergency basis. He also appreciated the efforts of the district administration and provincial departments.

Speaking on the occasion, Chief Minister Mahmood Khan said his government was with the flood victims and would not leave them alone in this hour of difficulty. He said that an emergency had been declared in Dera Ismail Khan district to speed up the rescue and relief activities and ensure early rehabilitation of the affected people.

“Officials of the rescue and other departments are being dispatched from nearby districts to DI Khan so timely relief activities can be carried out,” he added.

On this occasion, Dera Ismail Khan commissioner Aamir Afaq gave briefing to PTI chairman Imran Khan and Chief Minister Mahmood Khan about the flood situation and relief operations.

Later, Imran Khan conducted an aerial survey of Tank city and adjoining flood-hit villages of Kot Allah Dad, Barakhel, Ranwal, Gara Baloch, Pir Kachha and Pathankot by helicopter.

Mahmood Khan gave a briefing to the PTI chairman on the aerial survey, while provincial minister Sardar Faisal Amin Gandapur and the deputy commissioner Tank briefed him on the flood situation, at the Jahaz Ground, Tank.

Later, Imran Khan also met with the flood victims at a relief camp set up at the degree college and issued instructions to the chief minister to provide full assistance to the Tank flood victims.

The PTI chairman was accompanied by provincial minister Shaukat Yousafzai, Senator Shibli Faraz, MNA Sheikh Yaqub, former federal minister Sardar Ali Amin Gandapur and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Secretary Dr Shahzad Bangash.

Published in Dawn, August 27th, 2022