DERA GHAZI KHAN: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan on Wednesday visited flood-affected village Chhitani which lost its 10 residents, including women and children.

Talking on the occasion, Imran Khan said: “I visited the flood-affected areas. The flood destroyed villages and crops on thousands of acres of land. Dams are a solution to controlling the hill torrents. Around 31,000 acres of land would be developed by the construction of Sorra Dam in Taunsa Sharif.”

He said this time flood inflicted more devastation than 2010.

The PTI chairman said the recent flood brought about big disaster in Dera Ghazi Khan, Taunsa and Dera Ismail Khan.Imran Khan said: “I am proud to say that Pakistanis gave me Ra10 billion in five hours. My nation has never given so much money in such a short time.”

Reacting to the alleged government intervention in his telethon, he said money was being collected for the people and the government stopped telethon broadcasting.

“I and my team would try our best to help the victims regarding the damages. We would try to make life easier for the people,” he said and demanded repair and reconstruction of badly-affected Indus Highway.

The former premier said the canal system had been badly affected by flood and the federal government would have to help rebuild the infrastructure.

Addressing the Sindh government, he said the canal along the Indus had been under construction for the last 20 years. He regretted that had the Right Bank Outfil Canal been working, there would not have been such a disaster.

“The water would not recede until the drain system is updated. We will complete the canal and take it to the sea,” he said.

The PTI chairman said he would request the Punjab chief minister to make Taunsa a district and “we have accomplished the entire work in this regard.”

Published in Dawn, September 15th, 2022