ZARDARI,GILLANI CHAIR MEETING TO REVIEW RELIEF REHABILITATION PLANS
ISLAMABAD, Aug 23 : President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani jointly chaired a high level meeting held Monday night at the Aiwan-e-Sadr to review the various measures undertaken and the plans drawn up by the government in collaboration with all the stakeholders for the relief and rehabilitation of flood victims.The meeting also looked into steps taken for preventing the outbreak of any epidemic in the flood hit areas. The meeting was attended among others by Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Finance Minister Dr. Abdul Hafeez Sheikh, Water & Power Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, Information Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira, Secretary General to the President M. Salman Faruqui, Secretary to the President Malik Asif Hayat, Chairman NDMA Lt Gen® Nadeem Ahmad, Chairman NADRA Ali Arshad Hakeem and Spokesperson to the President Farhatullah Babar.
Briefing the media about the meeting, Spokesperson to the President Farhatullah Babar said that the meeting was apprised of the update on flood situation, the extent of devastation, immediate relief measures and the collection and distribution of relief goods among people in areas affected by torrents and floods.
The Spokesperson said that the meeting decided to distribute Rs. 20,000 per family among the flood affectees as initial assistance. The first instalment of Rs. 5000 will be disbursed immediately. The NDMA was directed to coordinate with NADRA about the preparation of the list of affectees eligible to receive this assistance.
The meeting also decided to dispatch Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi immediately on a visit to the countries of GCC with a letter from the head of the state highlighting the devastation caused by floods and seeking international assistance for meeting the situation.
Farhatullah Babar said that the meeting decided that Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi will brief the foreign ministers of the European countries early next month on the flood situation and call upon them to allow market access to Pakistani goods to rejuvenate the industry in the country and create job opportunities.
The Foreign Ministers of European countries will be meeting early next month on September 11 in Brussels, he said.
The meeting also decided to hold a donors conference in Islamabad on the platform of PDF (Pakistan Development Forum). The Foreign Ministry was directed to immediately start preparation for the conference, he said.
The Spokesperson said that the President during the meeting urged for ensuring transparency in all phases of relief and rehabilitation works by all the relevant organisations and agencies busy in relief operations all over the country.
“Transparency in distribution of cash and relief goods among the affectees should be the hallmark of the entire operation right from the initial relief to the rehabilitation and reconstruction phase,” the Spokesperson quoted the President.
Farhatullah Babar said that the Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi briefed the meeting about the UN General Assembly’s special session on Pakistan, his interaction with the world leaders on the sidelines of UNGA’s session and the active response of the world community in support and assistance for the people hit hard by the worst ever floods in Pakistan.
The meeting thanked the United Nations, the international community and the donor agencies for their assistance.
The Spokesperson said that the meeting decided to distribute Rs. 20,000 per family among the flood affectees as initial assistance. The first instalment of Rs. 5000 will be disbursed immediately. The NDMA was directed to coordinate with NADRA about the preparation of the list of affectees eligible to receive this assistance.
The meeting also decided to dispatch Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi immediately on a visit to the countries of GCC with a letter from the head of the state highlighting the devastation caused by floods and seeking international assistance for meeting the situation.
Farhatullah Babar said that the meeting decided that Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi will brief the foreign ministers of the European countries early next month on the flood situation and call upon them to allow market access to Pakistani goods to rejuvenate the industry in the country and create job opportunities.
The Foreign Ministers of European countries will be meeting early next month on September 11 in Brussels, he said.
The meeting also decided to hold a donors conference in Islamabad on the platform of PDF (Pakistan Development Forum). The Foreign Ministry was directed to immediately start preparation for the conference, he said.
The Spokesperson said that the President during the meeting urged for ensuring transparency in all phases of relief and rehabilitation works by all the relevant organisations and agencies busy in relief operations all over the country.
“Transparency in distribution of cash and relief goods among the affectees should be the hallmark of the entire operation right from the initial relief to the rehabilitation and reconstruction phase,” the Spokesperson quoted the President.
Farhatullah Babar said that the Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi briefed the meeting about the UN General Assembly’s special session on Pakistan, his interaction with the world leaders on the sidelines of UNGA’s session and the active response of the world community in support and assistance for the people hit hard by the worst ever floods in Pakistan.
The meeting thanked the United Nations, the international community and the donor agencies for their assistance.
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