Ahsan Iqbal writes letters to CMs, seeks joint flood relief efforts

ISLAMABAD, August 8: Federal Minister Ahsan Iqbal who heads the Flood Relief Committee formed by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has written letters to the chief ministers of all the provinces asking them to devise a plan for the joint flood relief efforts.
On the direction of Prime Minister Shehbaz, Mr Iqbal scribbled letters to the chief ministers of Balochistan, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab under the spirit of national strategy in order to extend help to the flood-hit people. He also sent letters to Azad Jammu and Kashmir Prime Minister SardarTanvirIlyas and Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Minister Khalid Khurshid.
Mr Iqbal also sought time from the prime minister and chief minister of AJK; and GB chief minister for holding an immediate meeting so that a joint strategy could be devised as soon as possible for helping the flood-affectees.
Mr Iqbal wrote that in a recent meeting presided over by Prime Minister Shehbaz, the NDMA gave an initial estimate of the losses caused by the recent floods and torrential rains. The premier declared it a natural calamity and ordered to devise a joint plan to tackle it, he said adding that on PM’s direction, every province would appoint a focal person so that rehabilitation process could be accelerated.
The federal minister said that the premier had appointed him the head of the relief committee. He said it was our national obligation to extend help to the flood-affectees and we must coordinate our efforts and resources in this regard.
Meanwhile, Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal visited the residence of NaikMudassarFayyazShaheed at Shakargarh, who embraced martyrdom in helicopter crash in Lasbela along five other senior army officials. The Minister offered fateha for the martyrs and said the whole nation is proud of them. Later talking to media, he regretted that a political party used the Lasbela incident for its nefarious designs.
Iqbal said propaganda against institutions was against the interest and security of the country. Talking about the current economic situation of the country, the Planning Minister said stabilizing the national economy was priority of the government. He said the process of census was started and it would be completed by February next year. -NNI