Our Correspondent
BUNER: Federal Minister for Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development, Chaudhry Salik Hussain here Thursday reaffirmed the federal government’s unwavering support for flood-affected communities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, stating that solid efforts would continue until the last affected person is fully rehabilitated.
Speaking to residents of the severely hit Beshoni village in Buner on Thursday, the federal minister said he was visiting the affected area on the directive of Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif to personally monitor the relief and rehabilitation activities.
“No matter which part of the country we belong to, we are one household and share each other’s grief in time of difficulty,” Chaudhry Salik Hussain said, commending the work of the district administration, NDMA, PDMA, and other relief agencies in responding to the flood disaster in Swat, Shangla, Buner and Swabi districts.
The minister said his visit aimed to assess flood damages firsthand and identify the needs of the affected population. He added that the collected data would be shared with relevant federal departments, as well as national and international NGOs, to facilitate prompt assistance, relief, and reconstruction of damaged infrastructure, including homes and communication infrastructure.
Chaudhry Salik Hussain also announced a special assistance package from the Overseas Pakistanis Foundation for the families of Pakistani overseas martyrs and promised that help would reach flood victims at their doorsteps. As part of immediate relief efforts, he distributed compensation cheques among 25 flood-affected laborers in Buner.
During his visit to flood hit Beshoni, he inspected rescue and relief operations, offered condolences to bereaved families, and prayed for the departed souls.
Earlier, Deputy Commissioner Buner, Kashif Qayyum, briefed the federal minister on the scale of devastation caused by recent floods and relief operations.
He said that cloudbursts across a 30-kilometer stretch bordering seven districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa triggered landslides, falling rocks, and mudslides that severely impacted Buner, especially the Beshoni village.
According to the Deputy Commissioner Buner, 236 people lost their lives and 14 remain missing. So far, compensation cheques have been distributed among 189 families of the deceased and 128 injured persons. Additionally, 276 houses were completely destroyed, 1,374 sustained partial damage, and 1,203 shops were affected.
He said that compensation for damaged houses and shops would commence soon after the ongoing survey is completed.
Federal Secretary for Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development, Nadeem Aslam Chaudhry, along with district administration officials, accompanied the minister during the visit.
Chaudhry Salik highlighted that Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif had personally visited flood-affected areas in Buner, Shangla, Swat, and Swabi, and continues to closely monitor relief and rehabilitation efforts to ensure swift recovery for all flood victims.
He emphasized that the recent flooding was a natural calamity, and its aftermath would be addressed through collective national resolve. Chaudhary Salik Hussain urged philanthropists to generously donate for relief and rehabilitation of flood victims.
The flood victims thanked the minister for coming from Islamabad for expressing solidarity with members of the bereaved families and distributing compensation cheques among flood victims.
