BAJAUR/SWAT: The federal minister for Kashmir affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan, Engr Amir Muqam, on Tuesday said that the federal government stood by the people of flood-affected areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to alleviate their suffering.

He was taking to the people of the rain and flood affected areas of Salarzai tehsil at the PML-N provincial senior vice president Shahabuddin Khan’s residence in Pashat area during his visit to the district to offer condolences to the families of 22 residents who lost their lives in the devastating disaster on Thursday night.

Amir Muqam said the federal government, especially Prime Minister Shahabaz Sharif, was very concerned over the loss of precious lives.

“The prime minister directed me to meet with the victims’ families to convey condolences and assure them of the federal government’s support during this difficult time,” he added.

Minister visits marooned people in Bajaur, Swat

He, however, noted that it was one of the most devastating natural disasters in the recent history of the province which left at least 358 people dead and dozens others missing across the province.

The minister on the occasion announced a compensation package of Rs2 million for each victim family from the federal government. He also assured the affected people of providing financial assistance for reconstruction of their damaged houses.

Furthermore, the federal minister announced the establishment of a second Nadra registration centre in the district within two days to facilitate the registration of Temporarily Displaced Persons (TDPs) of the ongoing operation against terrorists in Lowi Mamund and War Mamund tehsils.

The minister in his speech lauded the people of Bajaur, particularly of the Salarzai tehsil, for their significant contribution to maintaining peace in their areas, adding the entire nation was proud of the bravery of the people of Salarzai during the War on Terror in 2008.

Earlier, Shahabuddin Khan informed the minister about the destruction of properties of the local residents and infrastructure by the recent rain and floods in the region beside the loss of 22 lives.

Earlier, the federal minister visited the house of local MNA and adviser to the prime minister Mubarak Zeb Khan in Shah Naray area of Khar tehsil for a joint presser over the federal government’s rescue and relief activities for the people of the rain and flood affected areas of the district.

During the presser, both the leaders said the federal government was using all out resources to ease the difficulties of affected people and that the prime minister himself supervising the rescue and relief activities across the province.

Meanwhile, Amir Muqam said on Tuesday that recent floods had caused heavy loss of lives and property across Swat and the entire Malakand division, but the federal government would not leave the victims alone.

Talking to media in Swat, he announced that the families of those who lost their lives will be provided financial assistance of Rs2 million each.

Amir Muqam said that electricity and communication systems in the flood-affected areas were being restored on urgent basis.

Published in Dawn, August 20th, 2025