MANSEHRA: Adviser to the chief minister on tourism Zahid Chanzeb on Saturday demanded of the provincial government to provide the provincial government with a special financial package for mitigating the suffering of the people hit by natural calamities this year.

“Our province, which is still reeling from terrorism, is now battered by climate change, and therefore, the federal government should increase our financial resources so that we can better meet these challenges,” Mr Chanzeb told reporters here.

He expressed condolences over the death of two brothers and their cousin in a lightning strike in Oghi area and said the recent rains caused deaths and damaged public property and therefore, the government was utilising all its resources to the relief of calamity victims.

“The federal government is responsible for developing climate change policies in line with international treaties it has signed, but it is showing apathy towards such issues in the provinces, especially Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,” he said.

The aide to the CM said the federal government should not only offer a financial relief package to the province to enable it to deal with damage caused by natural calamities but also give representation to it in the policymaking process under the Carbon-Plus Policy.

He said the province was badly hit by militancy, and therefore, the federal government should clear its dues, especially those for hydropower production, which had been withheld for many years.

Published in Dawn, April 28th, 2024