Pakistan Floods: Cabinet decides against appeal for foreign aid

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif chaired the federal cabinet meeting here on Friday during which it was decided that an appeal for foreign aid would not be made in light of the recent floods in the country.

Flood relief committees to maintain contact with affectees comprising provincial and National Assembly members were formed by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. The decision to set up a contact mechanism on the district, provincial and national level was also taken during the meeting.

The prime minister directed that the National Disaster Management Plan be presented during the cabinet meeting on September 19.

Briefing the meeting, NDMA chairman said 10 districts have been several impacted from the floods with Jhang, Chiniot and Hafizabad the worst affected. He further said 274 people had been killed, 1.1 million affected, 45,000 homes damaged and 3,000 villages impacted.

The federal cabinet praised the role of the army, police, district administration and rescue services in relief operations.

The prime minister directed that rehabilitation and reconstruction should be completed in weeks not months and should start immediately after evaluation.