ISLAMABAD: Lauding flood rescue and relief efforts of the armed forces of Pakistan and other government departments, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday said the devastation caused by flash floods and torrential rains needed global attention to help the country cope with relief and rehabilitation efforts.

In a video statement on the situation of flash floods in the country, he particularly urged baby food makers to meet an acute shortage of supplies for children in the flood-hit areas.

“Pakistan is passing through difficult times and the havoc wreaked by floods, which is obvious before the world, needs serious attention,” he said.

Pakistan has been lashed by unprecedented monsoon downpours flooding a third of the country — an area the size of the United Kingdom — and killing nearly 1,600 people besides inflicting massive damage to infrastructure, livestock and crops.

BISP disburses Rs28.12bn among 1.13m flood-hit families

The prime minister, who is in New York to attend the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly, said: “The federal and provincial governments, besides the armed forces and the National Disaster Management Authority, did a good job in carrying out rescue, relief and rehabilitation activities in the flood-affected areas.”

The premier said he was in touch with the authorities concerned back in Pakistan dealing with the post-flood relief and rehabilitation activities.

He said that during the interaction with the world leaders, he highlighted the plight of the flood-affected people, including children.

In his message, the prime minister urged local companies manufacturing baby food to meet the required quantity of the commodity to be supplied to the children in flood-hit areas.

He also stressed the need for more baby food donations to address its shortage.

BISP aid crosses Rs28bn

Meanwhile, the government has so far disbursed Rs28.12 billion among 1,127,420 flood-affected families across the country under the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP), according to the latest official figures.

An amount of Rs25,000 is being provided to each affected family. In Balochistan, 133,842 families have received Rs3.34bn so far; 715,564 families received Rs17.88bn in Sindh; 125,551 families received Rs.313bn in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa; and 152,463 families received Rs3.81bn in Punjab.

As many as 102,241 flood-hit families received financial assistance on Wednesday from different campsites established in affected areas. A control room has been set up at BISP headquarters to ensure smooth payments.

Published in Dawn, September 22nd, 2022