She was talking to media persons here at Zardari House on Wednesday. She said the unprecedented heavy rainfalls have not only claimed the precious lives but also caused heavy devastation of the properties, crops, livestock and infrastructure in almost all districts of Sindh and there is the need of combined efforts to mitigate the sufferings of the people hit by colossal rains and floods.
Accompanied by President PPP Women Wing MNA Faryal Talpur and MNA Azra Pechuho, the minister responding to questions about the criticism of PML (N) Chief Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif on the government's appeal to international community for assistance in its relief work, said politics on the issue could be a political suicide as this is the time to share the grief of the people of Sindh who lost their valuables in rains and flood.
Pointing at the invitation to experts from Sri Lanka for control of Dengue Virus by Punjab Government, the minister said that they are also looking forward the foreign assistance in this direction, which she said is the evidence of good governance in Punjab.
The heavy rainfalls ever witnessed in the past had caused severe damage not only to human life but it also caused deaths of animals and devastation of standing crops, houses and basic infrastructure in Sindh, the minister said and added that on the request of President Asif Ali Zardari, the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon had sent a team in the rains and flood affected areas of Sindh and the UN Report regarding devastation is enough to open the eyes of the world community.
The minister informed that as its immediate step, the United Nations had dispatched 0.5 million bags of ration and 20 thousand tents for rain victims of the province and made appeal to the world community to come forward and generously donate for relief and rehabilitation of the affected people of the province.
She informed that Iran has committed $100 Million while China has released $47 Million. Turkey Foundation had played vital role in last year's flood relief operation in Pakistan and the Government of Saudi Arabia have also assured financial assistance for helping the rain and flood affectees.
Copyright APP (Associated Press of Pakistan), 2011