QUETTA: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday met flood survivors in Sohbatpur district and announced a two-month waiver for power consumers in the affected parts of the country besides immediate provision of drinking water, food and medicines.

He reviewed relief efforts and interacted with the flood-affected people who informed him about the problems facing the tent city in Nasirabad division. He told them that two trucks carrying bottled water would reach the area immediately while 10 tonnes of the commodity would be made available within the next two days.

The premier also ordered the authorities concerned to set up two mobile maternity units in the area, ensure availability of life-saving and anti-venom medicines, and the arrangement of over two million mosquito nets for flood-hit parts of Balochistan.

He directed them to pace up the drainage of stagnant water and complete the activity within 10 days instead of the expected fortnight. He called for deploying additional human resources and machinery to amplify work in view of the sufferings faced by the people.

Two-month waiver for power consumers, school construction, mobile maternity units, medicine, food supplies ordered

“Instead of indulging himself in politicking as being done by some leaders amid floods, serving the masses is the noblest deed,” Mr Sharif said.

He vowed that a mechanism would be established to revive the crops of wheat and cotton in the flood-affected areas. He said the coalition government at the centre along with the provincial government was making all-out efforts to provide relief to the people in flood-hit areas.

During his visit to Sohbatpur, the prime minister also announced waiver of fuel cost adjustment for electricity consumers to provide some relief to people facing multiple challenges due to the floods. The waiver for August and September utility bills will benefit millions of domestic and commercial power consumers.

Federal Minister for Defence Production Sardar Israr Ahmed, Balochistan Chief Secretary Abdul Aziz Uqaili, Senator Sana Jamali, MPA Saleem Ahmed Khosa, Nasirabad Commissioner Bashir Ahmed Bangulzai and other senior officials were present during the premier’s daylong visit. However, Chief Minister Mir Abdul Qudoos Bizenjo was conspicuous by his absence.

Ali Jan Mangi in Dera Murad Jamali also contributed to this report

Published in Dawn, September 15th, 2022