Asif Khan (Correspondent) The Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Ali Amin Khan Gandapur, on Tuesday, paid a visit to flood-affected district Swabi and presided over a meeting at the office of the Deputy Commissioner to review the situation arising from the recent floods. The meeting was attended by members of the provincial cabinet, elected representatives of the national and provincial assemblies from Swabi, the Chief Secretary of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Commissioner Mardan, and other senior officials.
Officials briefed the Chief Minister in detail about the damages caused by the floods, as well as ongoing rescue and relief operations. According to the briefing, 28 people lost their lives in the floods in Swabi, while 26 others were injured. Seven persons remain missing, and search operations are underway for their recovery. An initial survey revealed that crops spread over 50 kanals of land were damaged, while 14 houses were completely destroyed and 16 sustained partial damage. Similarly, eleven electricity feeders were affected, out of which eight have already been restored. Road infrastructure in various parts of the district also suffered considerable damages.
The meeting was informed that rescue operations were carried out jointly by teams from Swabi, Mardan and Nowshera. In total, 200 Rescue 1122 personnel, 50 army personnel, 50 police officials and civil defence volunteers took part in the operation. Fifteen ambulances, 10 excavators, three bulldozers and nine tractors were deployed, while 40 women and children stranded on rooftops were successfully rescued. Relief items, including non-food items, food supplies and other essentials, have already been distributed among the flood-affected population, the authorities told.
During the meeting, prayers were also offered for the departed souls and for patience for the bereaved families. The Chief Minister lauded the timely rescue efforts and swift response of the concerned departments, officials and volunteers. He directed the imposition of a relief emergency in Swabi to expedite relief activities and instructed the Provincial Relief Department and district administration to ensure immediate disbursement of compensation to affected families.
The chief minister on this occasion, announced that the provincial government had doubled the financial assistance package for the families of those martyred and the injured. He also directed the concerned authorities to complete the survey of damaged public and private infrastructure at the earliest so that reconstruction work could be initiated without delay.
The Chief Minister reiterated that the provincial government would make every effort to compensate for the losses caused by the floods and assured that the victims would not be left alone in this hour of hardship.
Talking to the media during his visit, the chief minister said that seven people were still missing and search operations were underway for their recovery. He added that road links to the affected areas had been restored and relief as well as rehabilitation efforts were now in full swing.
The Chief Minister announced that instead of distributing cooked food or ready-made rations, the provincial government would provide cash assistance to families so they could meet their needs according to their own priorities. Giving an overview of the scale of devastation across the province, Ali Amin Gandapur said the death toll from recent natural calamities had already surpassed 340, while 127 people were still missing. He warned that the number of casualties might rise to as many as 500. “The provincial government stands firmly with its people in this difficult hour,” he stressed.
Lauding the performance of the administration and rescue agencies, the Chief Minister said their timely response was commendable. He noted that compensation payments for the families of those martyred and the injured were already in process, while surveys of private property losses were underway to ensure complete redress. He added that the compensation package for the heirs of the deceased had been doubled, but emphasised that “no amount of money can ever compensate for a human life.” He assured that the losses of all affected families would be met in full and those whose houses had been destroyed would be provided with new homes.
The Chief Minister remarked that no effective steps had been taken in the past to mitigate the impact of natural disasters and climate change. He announced that his government was launching a major project for the cleaning and widening of waterways across the province. Populations living in mountainous areas constantly at risk of landslides and flash floods, he said, would be shifted to safer locations.
The Chief Minister termed encroachments on waterways a serious problem and said efforts were already underway to remove them. However, he pointed out that the process was sometimes delayed due to public reaction or court stay orders. He asserted that encroachments would have to be cleared at all costs, as the government could not risk human lives, and called upon public representatives and citizens to cooperate fully with the administration in this regard.
He also clarified that the deductions from government employees’ salaries for flood relief were made purely on humanitarian grounds. “Although the amount is not enough to ensure complete rehabilitation of the victims, this contribution symbolises our solidarity with the affected families. Extending cooperation and compassion in such times of distress is a collective moral duty,” the Chief Minister concluded…
