Islamabad: Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has announced that the federal cabinet will donate one month’s salary to support the flood-affected people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The announcement was made during a meeting in Islamabad focused on reviewing the federal government’s ongoing relief efforts in the flood-hit areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit Baltistan, and Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
According to Radio Pakistan, the Prime Minister assured full federal support for the communities devastated by the floods in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He stated that financial assistance would be extended to the families of those deceased and impacted, under the Prime Minister’s relief package. Engineer Amir Muqam, Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan, has been tasked with overseeing the relief and rehabilitation operations in the affected regions.
Prime Minister Sharif emphasized the importance of federal ministers personally supervising the restoration of essential services such as electricity, water supply, and roads. He also instructed the ministers to visit the affected areas in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Azad Kashmir, and Gilgit-Baltistan to ensure effective coordination and support.
Highlighting the need for a unified response, the Prime Minister directed federal institutions to aid the flood victims across different districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He stressed that in this time of crisis, distinctions between federal and provincial responsibilities should be set aside to ensure timely assistance and rehabilitation.
The National Highway Authority was instructed to prioritize opening routes for relief, without differentiating between provincial or national highways. The Ministry of Communications, National Highway Authority, and Frontier Works Organization were charged with the repair and maintenance of critical infrastructure in the affected areas.
The Prime Minister also directed the Minister for Communications to oversee rehabilitation efforts personally, and the Minister for Power was instructed to visit the affected regions to inspect and expedite the restoration of the electricity system. The National Disaster Management Authority was asked to submit a final assessment of damages and present a comprehensive plan for distributing relief items.
The Ministry of Finance was urged to provide necessary resources to the National Disaster Management Authority, while the Ministry of Health was directed to dispatch medicines and medical teams to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The Benazir Income Support Programme was mobilized to assist affected individuals.
During the meeting, prayers were offered for the departed souls and the speedy recovery of the injured, and participants received a detailed briefing on the situation. It was reported that the federal government, provincial administrations, Pakistan Army, and other institutions have set up 456 relief camps and conducted 400 rescue operations to date.
Relief trucks carrying essential goods are being dispatched, with priority given to the hardest-hit areas. Preliminary estimates indicate that damages to public and private property have surpassed 126 million rupees. Additionally, the meeting was informed that the monsoon season will continue until the second week of September, with two more major spells expected.
Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan Engineer Amir Muqam, Minister for Power Sardar Awais Khan Leghari, Special Assistant Mubarak Zeb, and other officials briefed the meeting on the current situation and ongoing relief activities, as instructed by the Prime Minister.