Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Monday underscored that the calamity-stricken Pakistan needs the support of international community, as the scale and magnitude of losses in the recent floods were too big to be borne by Pakistan alone.
He expressed these views during a meeting with French Ambassador to Pakistan Nicolas Galey, who called on him.
In this regard, he expressed gratitude to the French president for solidarity and support for the flood-stricken people, and for sending a relief flight carrying tents, water pumps and a team of doctors and nurses for the flood affectees, the PM Office Media Wing said in a press release.
The prime minister underlined that besides the immediate relief assistance, France could contribute to the government’s efforts in the rehabilitation and reconstruction phase.
He hoped that the ambassador would contribute towards strengthening the bilateral relationship as well as explore new areas for cooperation, such as IT, start-ups, agriculture, water management and energy.
Separately, the Punjab government has approved Rs13 billion to compensate the damages caused to the flood victims on Monday.
As per details, as many as 60000 flood affectees have lost their homes and will be given Rs9.64billion for reparations while Rs4.12 billion will be paid as compensation to the bereaved families whose livestock perished in the devastating flood.
The Punjab government will provide assistance of Rs19.1million to the relatives of 191 flood victims while the family members of those affected by the floods will receive Rs1million per person.
Moreover, Rs15.4m will be distributed among 3858 flood-stricken families.
Meanwhile, BISP has also distributed over Rs. 23 billion among 946,813 flood affected families. Chairperson, Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP), Shazia Marri has said that an amount of Rs. 25,000 under Flood Relief Cash Assistance means a lot to the flood affected families who have lost everything.
Despite unusual circumstances, BISP has so far disbursed over 23 billion rupees among 946,813 flood affected families in a short span of time. She said that it is a matter of honour that the Prime Minister has selected Benazir Income Support Programme for the cash relief disbursement.
As of Monday evening, a total amount of Rs. 23,670,325,000 have been disbursed among 946,813 flood affected families under this programme.
A total of 116,753 affected families have received Rs.2,918,825 in Balochistan; 564,472 families have received Rs.14,111,800,000 in Sindh; 116,962 families have received Rs.2,924,050,000 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and 148,626 families have received Rs.3,715,650,000 in Punjab.
Today 22,527 flood affected families received cash assistance from different campsites established in flood hit areas of Balochistan, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab.
A control room has been established at BISP headquarters to ensure smooth payments.
Meanhwhile, river Indus still runs furious at Kotri. The Federal Flood Commission (FFC) has said that the river Indus continues to flow in “High Flood” at Kotri with 650,000 cusecs while all other main rivers of Indus River System (Jhelum, Chenab. Ravi and Sutlej) are flowing in “Normal”.
According to daily FFC report on Monday, Tarbela Reservoir has already attained maximum conservation level of 1550.00 feet since August 28, 2022. At present, water level in Mangla Dam is 1192.30 feet against its MCL: 1242 feet (47.44 % storage still left). Chashma Reservoir is also being maintained at 648.60 feet (against MCL: 649.00 feet) since 2nd September 2022.
Present combined live storage of Tarbela, Chashma & Mangla Reservoirs is 9.951 MAF (i.e. 73.93 % of 13.461 MAF). Trough of Westerly wave earlier over Northeastern Afghanistan today lies over Northern parts of Pakistan while weak seasonal low continues to prevail over Northwestern Balochistan. At present,weak moist currents from Bay of Bengal are penetrating into upper parts of Pakistan upto 4000 feet.
