Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday said that he will convene a meeting over the illegal constructions on rivers soon, as monsoon rains caused catastrophic floods in northern parts of the country.
Record rains in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which started on August 15, have wreaked havoc on different parts of the province. Last week, the provincial government declared an emergency as torrential rains ravaged homes, displaced families, and left a trail of destruction across Buner, Swat, Shangla, Mansehra, and beyond.
Speaking during a federal cabinet meeting today, PM Shehbaz said, “I will call a meeting over the illegal constructions on rivers, such as hotels, restaurants and houses.”
He highlighted the concerns over such structures, which reflected “catastrophic beauty”, and over the cutting of trees in Galiyat, where plazas and houses have been constructed.
“There is no room for man-made disasters,” he said, adding that the meeting will be called on an all-Pakistan basis to discuss these issues.
The premier discussed the relief and rehabilitation work in the flood-affected areas during the meeting, saying that the federal government has extended “full cooperation” to the provincial governments, Radio Pakistan reported.
PM Shehbaz also commended the efforts of the armed forces in rescue and relief operations. “Pakistan Army reached the distant and difficult areas to rescue the people. For this purpose, helicopters were also used,” he said.
He mentioned his visit to flood-affected areas in Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir, highlighting the efforts of ministers and secretaries. He said, “This is a collective responsibility.”
“For how long will the provincial and federal governments keep giving compensation for illegal structures?” he questioned.
The prime minister also condoled the casualties, stating, “over 700 people, including over 400 in KP lost their lives in the recent rains and flash floods,” according to Radio Pakistan.
“He emphasised that the responsibility of climate change ministry has increased to deal with the issue of climate change. He said other relevant departments will also have to play their part in it,” the report added.
The premier mentioned the recent “destructive rains” in Karachi from earlier this week. “I talked to the Sindh chief minister and (PPP Chairman) Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari to express my sympathies,” he said.
PM Shehbaz on Wednesday visited the flood-affected districts of Swat, Buner and Shangla in KP, as 14 more bodies were recovered from debris in Swabi’s Dalori.
While interacting with flood victims, he assured them of the government and the army’s unwavering commitment to extending maximum support to them “in this critical hour”.
On Monday, the KP government released Rs800 million in relief funds for all affected districts, with an additional Rs500m specifically for worst-hit Buner, as flash floods continue to ravage the province with the death toll at 393.