Daily Times

Directs Army to take all measures for flood relief operations in Balochistan Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa has directed the Pakistan Army to undertake all measures to assist the government of Balochistan as the province reels under the devastation wrought by record floods, said the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).

In a phone call with Corps Commander Quetta Lieutenant General Asif Ghafoor, the army chief directed the commander to assist in “rescue, relief and rehabilitation efforts on an emergency basis in coordination with civil administration”. General Bajwa stated that the Army stands with the affected people in this difficult time and “shall undertake this assistance effort as a national obligation”.

“Unprecedented rains have caused devastation to human life and communication infrastructure, especially in Balochistan. Army resources be utilised to help affected population and restore critical communication infrastructure as an immediate temporary measure,” the military’s media wing quoted the army chief as saying.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif launched a Rs37.2 billion Flood Relief Cash Programme on Friday to provide Rs25,000 cash assistance to each of 1.5 million families across the flood-stricken areas of the country.

On Thursday the Pakistan Army said that its rescue and relief efforts were underway in various flood-hit areas of Balochistan and Punjab after heavy rains lashed both provinces. Balochistan received 371% more rains between July 1 and August 19 this year, Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) data shows. The PMD officials have said that climate change can be attributed to “extraordinarily above normal rains” in Sindh and Balochistan in the current monsoon season.