ISLAMABAD. : Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar said that national highways in flood affected areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit-Baltistan had been fully restored whereas out of 60 affected feeders, 52 were now fully functioning now.
In a media talk over flood situation, he said that under the directives of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) was working to overcome the crisis in calamity-hit areas.
He said that the NDMA was in contact with provincial governments and provincial disaster management authorities and district management.
Tarar said that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif visited Buner along with Field Marshal Asim Munir where a briefing was given on relief efforts.
He said that Minister for Power Sardar Awais Leghari was in the KP and supervising power restoration process.
He said out of 60 feeders affected in Swat, Shangla, Buner and Swabi, 52 have been restored and work on restoration of remaining 8 is continued. He said that Swat-I division has been fully restored, Pir Baba and Malikpur 90 per cent restored.
He said that Karakoram Highway and Buner- Khwazakhela Highway were open for traffic. Similarly, Astore bridge on Jaglot-Skardu Road was operational now, he told. The minister said that NDMA, FWO and Pakistan Army were helping provincial governments in opening provincial roads now.
He said on the instructions of the Prime Minister, Federal Minister for Communications Aleem Khan, Secretary Communications and Chairman NHA supervised roads restoration work in calamity-hit areas of KP and GB.
He said a crisis situation was created in Goopis tehsil of GB but due to heroic efforts of many, the people of the area were shifted to safer places.
He said the Prime Minister also talked with Chief Secretary Gilgit-Baltistan Abrar Mirza to make the area safe and secure.
He said that the PM’s Special Cell, NDMA, provincial governments and Pakistan Army were all taking steps for safety of the flood affected people.
He said that in Punjab at Ganda Singhwala on river Satluj, the PDMA was active to control flood situation after the NDMA had given early warning.
Sohail Majeed is a Special Correspondent at The Diplomatic Insight. He has twelve plus years of experience in journalism & reporting. He covers International Affairs, Diplomacy, UN, Sports, Climate Change, Economy, Technology, and Health.
