Devastating floods: Minister calls for declaring emergency to cope with challenges

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Water Resources Syed Khursheed Ahmed Shah has called for declaring agriculture, water, infrastructure, and rains emergency to cope with the challenges posed by the devastating floods in the country.

Speaking on a point of order in the National Assembly on Friday, the minister said that 80 percent of crops in Sindh have been destroyed. He said trees worth billions of rupees are facing the threat of decay if flood water does not recede. He said that we have to divert funds toward flood management.

He said that Pakistan is facing the brunt of a fault, which is not committed by it. He said the country is facing a loss of trillions of rupees due to climate change and the world must compensate Pakistan as its contribution to greenhouse gases is negligible.

He thanked the international community for positively responding to Pakistan's call for assistance for the flood victims.

The minister said: “I appreciate the world community for sending relief goods for the flood victims.”

He said that the government has effectively pointed out the negative impacts of climate change on Pakistan. He said, despite negligible carbon emissions, Pakistan's economy and people were paying the dual cost of climate injustice and high global warming causing massive flash floods.

He demanded imposing emergency for the revival of the agriculture sector and infrastructure.

“I would suggest the government to divert all the funds for the rehabilitation of flood-affected areas,” he added.

He said that all the political leaders of the government had visited flood-affected areas to express solidarity with the flood victims. He said that the Sindh government had announced Rs 4,000 per 40 kg as support price of wheat. He asked the federal government to announce subsidies for the agriculture sector.

Minister for Power Khurram Dastgir said the fuel adjustment price for the current month has been reduced to less than a rupee per unit.

Speaking on the floor, he said as per instructions of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif we have fully passed on the relief. He said total relief of Rs 65 billion had been provided to the farmers, the industrialists, and the flood-affected people from the power sector.

At the outset, newly-elected Member of the National Assembly Asiya Azeem took oath. Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf administered the oath.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022