Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani on Saturday asked provincial authorities to accelerate provision of food, shelter and medical facilities to flood victims in Sindh. He was addressing the flood-affected people at their camps that also included a free medical makeshift facility by Pakistan Air Force (PAF) here.
Gilani said he had called off his visit to United States because his priority was to personally supervise relief activities in the country's flood-hit areas. He said that it was the government's duty to ensure relief and rehabilitation of flood victims.
The Prime Minister took round of the camps and reviewed the arrangements to facilitate the flood victims. Gilani directed the Sindh Chief Minister to ensure provision of edibles to the affected people and said till their housing arrangements, the government would continue providing them financial assistance.
The Prime Minister asked the authorities to send medical teams, including lady doctors to the camps for the treatment of women patients. Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah and Governor Punjab Latif Khosa accompanied the Prime Minister. The members of relief committee constituted by the Prime Minister, Senator Nayyar Hussain Bokhari, Religious Affairs Minister Syed Khurshid Shah, former Minister for Water and Power Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, Nazar Mohammad Gondal and MNA Qamar Zaman Kaira, were also present.
The Prime Minister also visited the relief and medical camps set up for the people affected by recent heavy rains and floods in Sangarh. Prime Minister, Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani said that despite limited resources, the government is taking all out steps to ensure provision of relief to the people affected by devastating rains and floods in Sindh.
The scale of devastation caused by heavy rains and floods in Sindh is far beyond their thoughts, he said, and hoped that the government will overcome this challenge as philanthropists, donor agencies and international institutions are with them. Gilani inquired after the wellbeing of affected people at relief and medical camps. He, on this occasion, also took up a flood-affected kid in his arms and embraced him with affection. He also distributed ration bags among the affected people.
The Prime Minister directed Chief Minister Sindh to ensure speedy discharge of floodwaters from the affected areas. Earlier, District Co-ordination Officer Sangarh, Ghulam Haider Mangrio informed the Prime Minister that 770mm of rain has so far been recorded in Sangarh, due to which 800,000 people were affected, 25,000 houses damaged and 32 people lost their lives.
The PM was informed that 200,000 tents, 800,000 ration bags and other essential items like clean drinking water, medicines and dry milk, are required for the affected people. During his visit, the PM was accompanied by Chief Minister Sindh, Syed Qaim Ali Shah, Minister for Religious Affairs, Syed Khursheed Shah, MNA Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, Chairman Baitul Maal, Zamurd Khan and senior officials.