Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced a special rescue set on Sunday for the communities affected by the floods. The package specifically includes the renunciation of the electricity bills for national consumers for the month of August.
In a brief television speech to the nation, the Prime Minister said, the federal government would bear the cost of payments in the name of households.
“We fully understand the difficulties of the victims of the floods. This payment is not a favor but their right,” he said, adding that those who had already paid their invoices in August would have the amount adjusted in the invoices next month.
Shehbaz said clear instructions have been published in electricity distribution companies to ensure immediate implementation. He added that evaluations were underway to calculate the losses and responsibilities of the agricultural, commercial and industrial sectors in the affected areas.
“The resumption of their invoices has been suspended for the moment. If the estimates of these sectors are higher, the government will take additional measures to relieve,” he said.
The Prime Minister described the devastation caused by the floods as “heartbreaking”, noting that many people found themselves homeless. “This is a humble effort of the government to share the suffering of the victims. We will ensure a complete rehabilitation of all the areas affected by the floods,” he said.
He has sworn, the government will not rest as long as each displaced person is reinstalled. “May Allah help us in this effort,” he said.
Find out more: The IMF’s head sign asked for a relief from power to the flood victims
In an effort to alleviate the suffering of people struck by the worst floods during the decades, the government was planning to relieve electricity bills to consumers. However, the approval of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) was necessary for this purpose.
Three Rivers’ floods have so far made millions of people homeless and damaged crops on 1.3 million acres in land. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif asked the Ministry of Finance to contact the IMF and guarantee their consent to grant alleviation in electricity bills in the areas affected by floods, according to government sources.
Following the Prime Minister’s instructions, the ministry held a virtual meeting with the IMF on Friday and asked for its approval for the waiver, they added.
The Pakistani authorities asked the IMF to postpone the bills for three months, citing a previous set in 2022 when similar rescue had been offered in the regions affected by the floods.
Sources have indicated that consumers in the areas covered by Lahore Electricity Supply Company, the Gujranwala Electric Power Company, the Electricity Supply Company and Multan Electric Power Company was affected by the deluge. Consumers from the Sukkur Electric Power Company will also be affected.
“The immediate concern is to resolve the issue of electricity bills for the month of August, which are now due,” said Federal Minister of Power Sardar Awais Laghari The Express PK Press Club. He said that the electricity division collected data in the affected areas, after which it would be able to assess the relief tax requirements.
The Prime Minister is “very inclined” to relieve the burden of power consumers in the areas affected by the floods and an official announcement is expected soon, added Laghari.
Read also: More than 100 dead while punjab is reduced to devastating floods
At least 101 people died in Punjab due to general floods, officials said, because more than 4,700 villages and around 4.57 million residents were affected in the province.
Rescue commissioner Nabeel Javed of the provincial Punjab Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) said that around 2.51 million people had been transferred to safer areas.
The South Punjab government has deployed air drones to deliver food and drugs to flood victims in inaccessible areas. Managers described the effort as the first emergency drone service in Pakistan, capable of transporting up to 200 kilograms of help and evacuation of people from dangerous places. Ten other drones will be purchased to extend operations.
The Punjab Saaf Pani authority has so far provided 1.57 million liters of drinking water to more than 525,000 people throughout the province. Only yesterday 192,700 liters were provided.
So far, 392 rescue camps, 493 medical camps and 422 veterinary camps have been created in the hardest districts. The police said that more than 16,000 staff members, supported by 770 vehicles and 40 boats, saved more than 681,000 people and moved 2,019 million safety lives.
Punjab police inspector Dr. Usman Anwar said that the thermal imagery of Safe City and drone cameras were used in operations. The 1122 rescue teams, supported by social protection organizations and philanthropists, continued to move victims and distribute food, water and other essential elements.
The Pakistani army also helps evacuations. However, residents reported serious difficulties in moving business and livestock. The body of a man identified as Akhtar, who drowned while trying to move securities, was recovered from Uch Sharif.
