DADU: Floodwaters coming from Kalhoro village on Sunday moved into the historic site of Kalhora dynasty, the graveyard that houses tomb of emperor Mian Yaar Mohammad Kalhoro.

The graveyard is located about two kilometres from the Jamia Mosque of Khudabad along the main Indus Highway.

The tomb is located in the western half of the enclosed area.

Dadu Assistant Commissioner Shahnawaz Mirani, who is monitoring the situation, told Dawn said that floodwaters were directly moving towards Dadu city from Muradabad union council. He said that through a cut at Phaka Town road, efforts were made to weaken the deluge.

He said that as soon as the area was flooded, this cut would be given in order to divert the deluge from the direction of Dadu city towards the Indus as ‘Plan-B’ to save the city.

Meanwhile, PPP MNA Rafiq Ahmed Jamali and MPA Pir Mujeebul Haq visited the ring bund to monitor the ongoing strengthening work.

Mr Jamali said that more machinery was brought to raise the level of ring bund near the city.

He said that floodwaters had forcefully hit the Buriro Shakh at some distance but it the ring bund resisted the pressure. He said that under the ‘Plan-A’, efforts were made to strengthen the ring bund at Pir Shakh but flow of water caused breaches and villages of five UCs of Dadu taluka were affected. He said that Pak Army, district administration and water experts had decided to change direction of floodwaters towards Indus by giving cuts to the Indus Highway near Dadu city.

Pir Mujeebul Haq said that with the help of people, government was strengthening the ring bund.

Meanwhile, a big number of people settled in makeshift camps along Indus Highway after leaving Khudabad and Aminiani towns staged a demonstration against elected representatives and local administration for planning to give a cut on the highway.

They argued that this move was bound to flood more towns and villages.

Published in Dawn, September 12th, 2022