PM reiterates resolve for rehabilitation of flood-devastated areas

  • Announces ‘12 Danish schools to be built across Balochistan’
  • Says more funds required to pay compensation for flood destroyed houses

SOHBATPUR: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday expressed his hope that civilized societies would come up to support the reconstruction and rehabilitation of flood-hit Pakistan at the International Conference on Climate Resilient Pakistan scheduled to be held in Geneva on January 9.

The prime minister was addressing a public gathering here after the inauguration of a rebuilt Government Boys Secondary School of Kili Jia Khan, said he was constantly contacting the leadership of the friendly countries to invite them to the conference.

“Yesterday, I talked to Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim … He assured of sending a delegation to the conference. He will also join through Zoom,” he said and mentioned his telephonic interactions with the leaders of Turkey, Qatar and UAE for the purpose.

The prime minister said he would co-chair the moot with the United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

However, he said the government and people of Pakistan would have to put in their efforts for rehabilitation.

He said the government had already distributed Rs100 billion to the flood-affected people through BISP, but more funds were still needed to pay compensation for one million houses destroyed by the flood and many people were yet awaiting assistance for their rehabilitation.

‘12 schools to be built across Balochistan’

During his address, the premier also said that the provincial and federal government had decided to build 12 schools across Balochistan which would provide free education.

“These schools will be at par with the Danish schools in Punjab (a flagship project of the PML-N government). Students in these schools will be given mainstream education which is provided at any private school in the country,” PM Shehbaz said.

He elaborated that the schools will feature accommodations for students, state-of-the-art technology, e-libraries, skilled teachers and medical clinics.

They will be run on solar energy, he said, adding that the first such school will be inaugurated in Sohbatpur on March 23.

The prime minister highly applauded the performance of the government officers and provincial leadership for completing the school building within two months and also announced Tamgha-e-Khidmat award for three officers including chief secretary and secretary of education.

‘Rehabilitation of flood survivors first priority’

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday said that the rehabilitation of the flood-affected people was the government’s first priority.

The prime minister, who was on his way to the flood-ravaged Sohbatpur city of Balochistan for a day-long visit, was briefed aboard by Chairman of National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) Lt-General Inam Haider Malik on the ongoing reconstruction and rehabilitation works.

Minister for Housing and Works Maulana Abdul Wasay was accompanying the prime minister.

‘PM leaves for flood-affected Sohbatpur’

Earlier, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb said on Wednesday that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had left for Sohbatpur district of Balochistan.

In a tweet, the minister said that a briefing would be given to him on rehabilitation of flood victims and reconstruction of damaged infrastructure in the area.

The minister said that the PM would inaugurate the new building of flood-affected Government Boys School in Killi Jaya Khan.

The prime minister will also interact with the flood victims during his visit to Sohbatpur, she said.

 

 

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