ISLAMABAD:Senators at upper house on Wednesday stressed the need for collective efforts for timely assistance to flood affected regions.
“We should express solidarity with the people of flood-affected areas by joining hands and extending strong support to address grievances of flood victims,” they said while speaking at point of order.
Chairperson Senate Standing Committee on Maritime Affairs Rubina Khalid said instead of doing political points scoring on the natural disasters should come forward and stand with the needy in this hour of grief.
Manzoor Ahmed Kakar said the entire Balochistan was flooded during monsoon rains and the recent rains broke all the previous records as most of the bridges were collapsed and roads damaged.
The people of far-flung areas were facing shortage of medical supplies and were unable to shift their patients to hospitals of other districts.
Kakar paid tribute to the martyrs of Lasbella heli crash who lost their lives amid relief activities in Balochistan.
The floods swept away agriculture fields and cattles in the province, he said while expressing dissatisfaction over relief efforts carried out by National Disasters Management Authority (NDMA).
Senator Hidayat Ullah regretted that so far all political parties were failed to evolve a strategy after mutual consensus for flood-affectees as well as on terrorism financing. He urged the government to chalk out a plan to address issues of tribal areas.
Commenting on the recent road accidents, he held responsible National Highways Authority (NHA) and National Highway and Motorways Police (NHMP) for the road mishap in Sindh that claimed at least 20 people’s lives and several others injured when a passenger bus collided with an oil tanker.
He stressed that all aspects of the incident should be investigated and those responsible be identified.
Senator Fauzia Arshad said there should be a proper planning regarding disaster reduction risk. The attention should be focused on prevention, litigation, preparedness, rehabilitation and the response.
She said Provincial Disasters Management Authorities (PDMAs) were failed to evolve a strategy to mitigate flood risks, adding that 26 districts of Balochistan were flooded.
Fauzia Arshad said the details of relief measures taken by the PDMAs, NDMAs and other relevant stake holders should be made public.
She said the celebrations of 75th anniversary of Pakistan has come to an end so it is a high time to move towards right direction by setting aside differences to make the country progress and prosperous.
Senator Taj Haider asked for constitution a committee to aware the Senate members about the ongoing relief efforts carried out by the disaster management authorities.
He underscored the need for long-term planning in Balochistan to resolve issues of massive traffic, water shortage, power supply interruptions and infrastructure.
Haider asked for coordinated efforts between the federal and provincial governments to provide relief to the masses and resolve their problems.
Senator Bahramand Tangi while talking on a point of public importance said around 14000 students of Bahauddin Zakariya University (BZU) law department still awaiting their degree for the past many years. The Deputy Chairman Senate Mirza Mohammad Afridi referred the matter to the relevant Committee.
Senator Hilal-ur-Rehman said funds over Rs136 billion were released for erstwhile FATA. After a lapse of seven months the forensic audit by the auditor general was yet to be received.