The chief minister of Punjab, Maryam Nawaz, praised the incessant efforts of the district commissioners, police, rescue teams and the Pakistani army on Saturday to mitigate the devastation of the floods, ordering the authorities to take proactive measures to help the victims.
Speaking during a meeting with the district commissioners of the headquarters of the province of management of disasters (PDMA), she ordered members of the provincial assembly to visit their respective constituencies and to contact people personally to find out if they obtain the required aid and assistance.
“We have attended remarkable teamwork in Punjab,” she said, recognizing the army’s combined efforts and various agencies that have helped save more than 600,000 lives.
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The chief minister mentioned that the province was facing the worst flood crises due to the continuous rains and the liberation of water from neighboring India. However, the timely evacuation of residents was a remarkable achievement of combined rescue teams.
She said that allegiance efforts for flood victims were underway 24 hours a day, adding that the largest rescue operation in Pakistan history had been carried out in Punjab.
She added that continuous precipitation had aggravated the situation, which prompted the largest rescue operation in the history of Pakistan. More than 450,000 cattle have been rescued and moved to safe areas, he said.
Maryam expressed her appreciation for the relentless work of the authorities, declaring that not only was the lives saved, but more than 450,000 animals had also been saved.
It also underlined the need for preventive measures in risk areas, stressing that even forced evacuations should be carried out if necessary to save lives.
To ensure animal safety, she asked that boats be replaced by rafts to transport cattle more effectively.
Also read: The worst monsoon floods in decades leave millions of people displaced in Pakistan
The chief minister also called for the construction of temporary shelters, appropriate sanitation facilities and the use of school buildings as a rescue camps.
“In Punjab, the government is responsible before the people. We must reach out to those who need it, rather than waiting for them to call for help, “she said, urging the authorities to maintain a compassionate approach.
The chief minister congratulated the efforts of local officials, in particular the deputy commissioner of Narowal, for the rapid cleaning of the Kartarpur Gurdwara, who faced strong floods.
