Govt to take care of flood affected people by all means: PM 

      
ISLAMABAD, Oct 29 (APP): Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani Friday said the national strategy for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of flood affected areas has been designed keeping in view the needs of the flood affectees of all the provinces as well as AJK and Gilgit-Baltistan.The heavy torrential rains and floods had affected the people throughout the country and “we have to take care of them by all possible means,” he added.The Prime Minister was talking to a joint delegation of OIC and UNDP led by Fuaad Ali Al-Mazroei, Head of OIC Humanitarian Affairs Department.
The delegation which included two members of OIC and two from UNDP have visited different flood affected areas since 25th October and are being conducted by Abrar-ul-Haq of Sahara Foundation as well as members of the Youth Parliament in collaboration with NDMA.
The Prime Minister said the disbursement and distribution of funds to the flood affectees through Smart Cards is the world’s biggest fund disbursement scheme for the people facing disaster.
The procedure adopted for the distribution of funds through proper registration and Watan Cards would earn credibility and the establishment of National Oversight Disaster Management Council would further ensure transparency of the system, he added.
The Prime Minister urged upon OIC and the international community to utilize as far as possible Pakistan’s established system while extending assistance, adding, it would help develop an integrated approach to help the flood affectees in different regions and provinces of the country.
He expressed the confidence that their close collaboration with the Government of Pakistan and NDMA will greatly facilitate the implementation of rehabilitation and reconstruction work.
The Prime Minister said that Pakistan will present its economic development vision at the Pakistan Development Forum being held in the middle of next month. He hoped that the final Disaster Need Assessment Report being prepared by the World Bank and ADB would be received till then.
The plan for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of the flood affected areas would also be presented on the occasion along with the National Strategy to face the challenge, he added.
The disbursement of funds through Watan Cards followed by distribution of free seeds and fertilizers to farmers, he mentioned, is part of the strategy to bring back life to normal in the affected areas.
The Prime Minister lauded the support extended by the international community as well as all segments of the Pakistani society, which, he said, greatly supplemented Government’s efforts to help the flood affected population.
He said the challenge is not yet over and he expected a lot from the youth in the upcoming phase of rehabilitation and reconstruction.
The Prime Minister appreciated the role of all the political parties, the civil society, the media and the young students of various universities who participated with spirit of nationalism in the rescue and relief efforts.
The Prime Minister also thanked the support extended by the Secretary General of UN Ban Ki-Moon and the Secretary General of OIC Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu who personally visited Pakistan during the testing times.
Fuaad Ali Al-Mazroei leader of the delegation while conveying the sentiments of the OIC Secretary General apprised the Prime Minister that visit of the delegation is a follow-up mission to see the situation on ground and assess the needs for funding by OIC.
He mentioned that OIC would be constructing 6000 houses for the flood affectees in different parts of Pakistan. The OIC support, he said, would be extended in consultation with UNDP and the Government of Pakistan.
OIC is looking forward to actively engage in the integrated approach and in accordance with the strategy vision of the Government of Pakistan, he added.
The Special representative of UNDP, Mrs. Zenaida who specially came from Bangkok said that UNDP’s special Unit of South-South Cooperation is specifically engaged in facilitating various organizations to extend support to the affected population.
The Unit is also gathering information and experiences of various organizations involved in the various phases of disaster to prepare strategies for any possible eventually in any part of the world, she added.
The Unit, she mentioned, is also preparing training courses through community involvement to develop the capabilities and capacity of the community affected by disaster to be able to face any difficulty in future.
Abrar-ul-Haq of Sahara Foundation and Bilal Ahmad of Youth Parliament informed that they besides conducting and facilitating the delegation are also working on the projects to develop cottage industries in the affected areas and also to improve the capacity of the people to improve the quality of their life.