PM orders restoration of flood-hit road infrastructure

F.P. Report
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday directed the authorities concerned to rehabilitate the flood-hit roads and communications infrastructure by Friday, and asked the Power Division to submit a report on work for power supply restoration since August 25.
The prime minister, who chaired an urgent meeting to review work on the rehabilitation of flood-damaged power and roads infrastructure, asked the Power Division to explain the reason behind delay, if any, in the restoration of power supply system. He instructed for the revival of road connectivity between Kalam and Swat by next week, and repair of Balochistan’s power transmission network within next 48 hours.
The prime minister asked the Power Division to assign field duties to its joint secretaries and deputy secretaries as no officer should be sitting in the office till complete restoration of power supply network. He said no delay in restoration of the Gwadar transmission line was acceptable. He said the material required for the repair of transmission lines should be made locally as he would not allow spending of public money on import of such items which could be produced by the country.
The prime minister instructed Power Minister Engineer Khurram Dastgir to immediately visit Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to monitor the restoration of flood-hit power transmission network there and submit a report by 10 a.m. on the measures taken for the purpose. He also directed the chief executive officers of the power distribution companies to ensure their presence in their respective cities of postings for resolution of public complaints.
He asked the heads of the distribution companies to publicize their names and contact details to make themselves accessible for the public and address their complaints. The prime minister summoned the urgent meeting soon after his arrival from the flood-hit areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, to review the work by the Frontier Works Organization and other departments for the rehabilitation of infrastructure and other damages.
Federal ministers Ahsan Iqbal, Marriyum Aurangzeb and Khurram Dastgir Khan, FWO director general, National Highway Authority chairman and senior officers of the relevant ministries attended the meeting. The meeting was briefed about the flood-caused losses to the road infrastructure and ongoing rehabilitation work in Balochistan, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and South Punjab. Moreover, a detailed briefing was also given on the work for restoration of power supply transmission network. The prime minister instructed to accelerate the rehabilitation work of infrastructure and power transmission to ensure its early completion.

Shehbaz expresses gratitude to US, Switzerland

F.P. Report
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday expressed his gratitude to the governments of the United States and Switzerland for the announcement of humanitarian assistance to the flood-affected people of Pakistan. On his Twitter handle, the prime minister said that they were grateful to the United States government for the announcement of humanitarian assistance for the flood affectees in Pakistan.
“The tragedy is massive with millions of people gravely affected & we need our friends around the globe to help the suffering humanity,” he added. The prime minister, in a separate tweet, also appreciated Swiss President Ignazio Cassis for his message of solidarity with the people of Pakistan at this difficult time. “We gratefully acknowledge the President’s gesture of sending a team of Swiss experts to do the need assessment for humanitarian support,” he added. In a related tweet, the prime minister also thanked Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for his thoughts and sympathies on the loss of precious lives and unprecedented devastation in Pakistan. “Canada has been a great friend & we are grateful that the Canadian govt is taking steps to support the flood victims,” the prime minister posted a tweet.