KHYBER: Rain and flood-hit families and welfare organisations in Khyber have demanded of the provincial government to declare the tribal district as calamity-hit and provide immediate relief to the affected people.

Representatives of Sipah Khidmat-i-Khalq Welfare Society in Bara and Khudai Khidmatgar Tanzeem in Landi Kotal said heavy rains caused flash floods, which played havoc in different parts of Khyber, destroying dozens of houses and causing irreparable damage to standing wheat crop and vegetable fields, particularly in Bara plain, upper Bara, Shalman, Malagori and parts of Tirah valley during the last few days.

Demanding a change in the standard operating procedure for reporting of the damaged structures, these organisations asked the government departments to immediately start relief operations instead of asking for pictures of the damaged houses as most of the affected families were compelled to live under the open sky with more rains predicted in coming days.

They demanded of Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur to direct the departments concerned to accelerate relief work.

Expressing displeasure over the performance of district administration, local government and the parliamentarians, Khudai Khidmatgar Tanzeem alleged no concrete steps were taken to alleviate the sufferings of rain-hit people.

It said at least five bridges were required on the main Peshawar-Torkham highway to ensure smooth traffic flow during floods.

Published in Dawn, April 21st, 2024