Staff Report
PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur on Saturday visited flood-affected Buner district, where he chaired a meeting at the deputy commissioner’s office to review the situation and ongoing relief and rehabilitation efforts. Provincial cabinet members Syed Fakhar Jehan, Naik Muhammad, and Sohail Afridi, MNA Barrister Gohar, MPA Riaz Khan, Chief Secretary Shahab Ali Shah, other concerned hugh ups and district administration officials attended the meeting.
The meeting began with prayers for those who lost their lives in the floods. Officials briefed the Chief Minister that torrential cloudbursts had damaged more than 5,380 houses across seven village councils in Buner. So far, 209 deaths have been reported, 134 people remain missing, and 159 have been injured. Rescue and relief operations are underway with the support of 10 excavators, 22 tractors, 10 de-watering pumps, five water bowsers, and 10 bulldozers. A total of 223 rescue workers, 205 doctors, 260 paramedics, 400 police personnel, 300 civil defense volunteers, and three battalions of the Pakistan Army are engaged in the operations. Affected families are being provided with food, tents, blankets, mattresses, and medical assistance.The meeting was told that key routes are being cleared: six kilometers of road in Pir Baba and 3.5 kilometers in Gokand have already been reopened, while debris from 15 landslide sites has been removed. Relief emergencies have been declared in Buner and seven other districts. A search operation is underway to trace those still missing, and 3,500 stranded people have been rescued to safety.
Speaking at the meeting, Chief Minister Gandapur praised the quick response of provincial and district administrations, saying their efforts in the face of disaster had been commendable. He urged civil administration officials to show the same dedication in the rehabilitation phase and assured that no effort would be spared in restoring the lives of the affected people.
The Chief Minister directed that food, medicines, and other essential supplies be made available in sufficient quantities, and that compensation for victims’ families and the injured be delivered without delay. He said the provincial government has already released Rs. 1.5 billion for this purpose.
Gandapur pledged that the provincial government would fully compensate people for their losses and prioritize their rehabilitation and resettlement. He added that damaged infrastructure would be restored on an urgent basis to ensure uninterrupted access to public services. The Chief Minister also expressed gratitude to the Prime Minister and fellow chief ministers for reaching out and assuring cooperation during the crisis.
