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From
today's The News
CCI to okay issuance
of Watan Card for flood victims
ISLAMABAD: The Council
of Common Interests (CCI) is going to approve the
issuance of 'Smart Watan Card' for the help of flood
affectees today (Monday).
The Watan Card and its
software have been prepared by Nadra, and Interior
Minister Rehman Malik congratulated it on this
success.
The Watan Card will be
issued to 20 million flood affectees, and these
cards will be distributed with the cooperation of
the provincial governments.
While talking to The
News on this project, Nadra Deputy Chairman Tariq
Malik said that the software was ready and these
cards were being prepared that these cards would be
like an ATM card.
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Altaf calls for
judicial inquiry into dykes breach
KARACHI: Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief
Altaf Hussain Sunday called upon the judiciary to
take action against the people responsible for
breaching the embankments for personal benefits.
Altaf Hussain in his address on the occasion of
annual aid program held here under the auspices of
MQM’s welfare wing Khidmat-e-Khalq Foundation,
regretted that the government failed to chalk out
a strategy for dealing effectively with the
large-scale devastation unleashed by the floods in
the country.
He told the office bearers of MQM not to make new
clothes for themselves instead provide clothes to
the children of flood-stricken people on this
year’s upcoming Eid.
The KKF, Altaf Hussain pointed out, has so far
distributed aid worth over Rs250 million.
Reiterating his words, the MQM chief said no one
can stop a revolution from coming in Pakistan and
added that ‘mandate of Awami League’s Shaikh
Mujeeb was too not recognized in the past’.
“Are voices not being raised for provincial
autonomy now?” he asked.
Regarding his returning to Pakistan, Altaf Hussain,
said he would head back as soon as people come out
for bringing about a much-needed revolution in the
country. He urged the people wielding authority to
lend their support in this regard.
He asked Pakistan people to remain alert and wait
his call. “I want Pakistan free of people looting
the national exchequer …. a country free of
thieves and crooks,” he asserted. Bullet from a
gun of the Army and police should hit the looters
and not the poor, he demanded.
He said the Army’s force should be used against
the people looting the national resources of the
country.
“I desire no presidency, premiership or any other
seat of power for myself, all I want is that the
downtrodden section of the society must get its
rights,” Altaf Hussain reiterated.
Flood threat triggers evacuation in Dadu, Mehar
DADU: Evacuation has
begun in Dadu and Mehar due to threat of imminent
floods there.
Flood stream is currently passing from Thatta
where many of the dykes are in fragile condition,
DCO Thatta said.
Meanwhile, flood water has flowed into a gas field
of OGDC located near Kangar Wasim.
People of Dadu have started relocating to safer
places after inundation of Dadu’s Tehsil Khairpur
Nathan Shah, Mehar and Johi. Residents of Mehar
are also in the process of shifting.
Senior Provincial Minister Pir Mazhar-ul-Haq has
said that Dadu city is presently under threat of
flood from MNV drain.
Two dead bodies have been retrieved from Mondar in
Dadu.
On the other hand, a bridge on a saline nullah
between Gaji Khavar and Mehar was washed away in
the wake of Suprio Bund breach with flood torrent
fast headed for Naseerabad.
The floodwater is rapidly roaring through Tharri
Jadu Shaheed from FP Bund towards Manchhar Lake
with at least 125 villages of Tehsil Mehar,
Khairpur Nathan Shah and Juhi overwhelmed.
The 200-foot breach in Main Panjari Canal in
Tehsil Jati could not be plugged as yet with flood
torrent raging towards Badin Tehsil of Golarchi
storming through tehsil Jati areas including Mir
Khan Mori and Haranabad posing inundation threat
to oil fields in the area.
Administration caused a rift on Jati Road near
Haranabad to direct the torrent towards the ocean.
Army rescue operation continues in Pakistan
KARACHI: Pakistan Army is actively involved in
Rescue and Relief Operations across the country.
According to ISPR, Army rescued 300 people from
Jati near Thatta and 47 stranded people from
Khairpur Nathan to safer place. Army has air
dropped 7 tons of rations by Helicopters in
inundated areas of Sindh and 20 tons of relief
goods were distributed in Army Relief Camps at
Jati in last 24 hours.
Another two C-130 planes carrying relief goods
arrived in Quetta for further distribution in Dera
Murad Jamali. Special train will carry back the
flood affected people from Relief Camps at Quetta
to Dera Murad Jamali tomorrow.
Army has distributed 3,500 tons of rations from
its own quota among the flood affected people and
provided 6.6 million packets of cooked food.
PM reviews relief steps with Sindh Governor
KARACHI: Prime
Minister, Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani, soon after his
arrival here Sunday held a meeting with the Sindh
Governor, Dr. Ishrat- ul- Ebad Khan, at the
Governor House.
Sindh Chief Minister, Syed Qaim Ali Shah, Federal
Ministers Qamar Zaman Kaira, Syed Khurshid Ahmed
Shah, Raja Pervaiz Ashraf and Syed Naveed Qamar
were also present on the occasion.
According to official sources, the flood situation
and relief and rehabilitation measures were
discussed during the meeting.
The Prime Minister called for concerted efforts in
order to help mitigate the problems of the flood
affectees.
He also laid emphasis on the maintenance of law
and order situation.
Bridge linking Gaji Khavar, Mehar washed away
 MEHAR: The bridge on a saline nullah between Gaji Khavar and Mehar was washed away in the wake of Suprio Bund breach with flood torrent fast headed for Naseerabad, Geo News reported Sunday.
The floodwater has inundated over hundred villages in Mehar, Khairpur Nathan Shah and Juhi, as several protective embankments have been raised to save Naseerabad.
A protective embankment has been built at Mir Wah to protect Warah city, as the doors of MNV Drain are being gradually opened to cause it reach to its natural watercourse.
The flood torrent entered Juhi area of Kachhu after Juhi Barrage was breached, deluging several villages.
The floodwater is rapidly roaring through Tharri Jadu Shaheed from FP Bund towards Manchhar Lake with at least 125 villages of Tehsil Mehar, Khairpur Nathan Shah and Juhi overwhelmed.
The deluge has inundated Zamzama One Unit of a foreign company exploring oil and gas in Juhi.
The 200-foot breach in Main Panjari Canal in Tehsil Jati could not be plugged as yet with flood torrent raging towards Badin Tehsil of Golarchi storming through tehsil Jati areas including Mir Khan Mori and Haranabad posing inundation threat to oil fields in the area.
Administration caused a rift on Jati Road near Haranabad to direct the torrent towards the ocean.
Naif calls for more aid for Pakistan
 JEDDAH: Second Deputy Premier and Minister of Interior Prince Naif has called upon Saudi banks, companies and businessmen to contribute more to the fund to support Pakistan's flood victims, considering the terrible situation of people in flood-hit areas.
Prince Naif, who is supervisor of King Abdullah Relief Program for Pakistan, said greater humanitarian and relief efforts were required to save the lives of millions of people affected by the flood. Saudi Arabia has already sent several planeloads and truckloads of relief supplies to the affected areas in Pakistan.
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah had earlier ordered a nationwide fundraiser that collected more than SR400 million.
King Abdullah also ordered that 1,000 truckloads of relief supplies be distributed among the flood victims. During the two-month-long relief program, trucks will carry foodstuffs such as rice, flour, cooking oil and milk, beans and lentils.
Saudi Arabia has established two field hospitals near the flood-hit areas to provide health services. It also sent a team of Civil Defense officers to take part in search and rescue operations.
The floods are Pakistan's worst-ever natural disaster in terms of the amount of damage and the number of people affected, with more than six million people forced from their homes, about a million of them in the last few days as the water flows south.
The disaster has killed about 1,600 people, inflicted billions of dollars in damage to homes, infrastructure and the vital agriculture sector.
Chinese man donates one million yuan to Pak flood victims
BEIJING: A well-known Chinese philanthropist, Mr. Chen Guangbiao also the Chairman of Jiangsu Huangpu Renewable Resources Utilization Company in east Jiangsu Province has donated one million yuan (146,821 U.S. dollars) to Pakistani flood victims.
“Pakistan is a friendly neighbor of China and I want to help the Pakistani people get through the disaster,” said Chen here at Pakistan Embassy.
“I hope other entrepreneurs, in China and abroad, could also lend a helping hand to the suffering Pakistani people,” Chen noted.
Pakistani ambassador to China, Masood Khan, while accepting the donation expressed his deep appreciation of the timely support from China.
We are very appreciative of Mr. Chen’s kind deed, as well as many other Chinese citizens who have also acted in such a caring way, Masood Khan said.
Mr. Chen in his meeting with Ambassador Masood Khan at the Embassy expressed deep sorrow and grief on the loss of precious lives and property.
He said, “Pakistan and China enjoy a special relationship and he feels the same as our Pakistani brothers are feeling at this moment of grief.”
Masood Khan thanked Mr. Chen for his generous contribution and said that the Pakistan China friendship is a model relationship between two nations.
The Ambassador said the help extended by Chen Guangbiao in these testing times will further energize this unique relationship between the two countries.
Mr. Chen is a member of the standing committee of Jiangsu Provincial Committee of China.
“The friendship is rooted in the ethos of our two people and evokes spontaneous love, admiration and touches a receptive chord in every heart,” Masood Khan observed.
Mr. Chen has been playing an active role in charity work and has been listed as the youngest among China’s top ten philanthropists. His charity work has earned appreciation from all quarters of the society and has been awarded numerous awards for his cause for the poor and needy.
Hamal, Manchhar surge to perilous level
 HYDERABAD: The water level pummeled up to dangerous level in Hamal and Manchhar lakes with FP Bund under mounting water pressure, Geo News reported Saturday.
The water pouring from MNV Drain breach, roared through to Indus Highway at Dur Muhamed Baro village.
Hamal Lake situated in Qambar Shahdadkot district burgeoned to over 12 feet, causing huge erosion at FP Bund.
According to Irrigation Department, the water level is poised at dangerous level and the high officials have been primed about the same.
According to Irrigation Department, Hamal Lake has further eight-inch capacity, adding if FP Bund breaches, the water may rage towards Warah, Wagan and Larkana.
Meantime, Manchhar Lake level surged to record level of 113 feet with RD 77 under massive pressure; accordingly, it is persistently being monitored.
According to experts, the situation would improve only after the water recedes. Also, the Manchhar Lake is running below river level.
All rural areas of Juhi taluka have submerged under water. Ring Bund withstanding four to five-foot water, has been raised to save Juhi city.
The road between Dadu and Larkana is closed for every kind of traffic.
Suprio Bund breaches; torrent headed for Mehar
DADU: The breach in Suprio protective embankment, which is the last defence line of Mehar city in Dadu District, widened to 45 feet, deluging at least five villages in the city, Geo News reported Saturday.
A total of 450 villages in District Dadu have sunk under floodwater.
The water that broke out from 30-foot breach in Suprio Bund, is fast paced towards Mehar—the largest city in District Dadu—where people have started mass exodus to safer locations.
The personnel of Irrigation Department could not make it to the breach site even after the lapse of several hours, contributing to constantly widening of the breach.
The people living nearby the Bund are busy with efforts to plug the breach under self-help basis; however, surging torrent is a massive tumbling block in their work.
Meantime, Khairpur Nathan Shah is 90 per cent under floodwater with some people still marooned in the flooded city area and waiting to be rescued.
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