Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa Saturday directed Commander Balochistan Corps Lt-Gen Asif Ghafoor to ensure complete support to the Balochistan government.
The army chief’s directions, according to the Inter-Services Public Relations, came during a call with the commander Balochistan Corps. Gen Bajwa got an update on the flood situation in the province.
“The COAS directed Corps Commander to undertake all measures to assist Govt of Balochistan for rescue, relief and rehabilitation efforts on an emergency basis in coordination with civil administration,” the ISPR said.
Gen Bajwa said unprecedented rains have caused devastation to human life and communication infrastructure, especially in Ba Balochistan. He said army resources will be utilised to help the affected population and restore critical communication infrastructure as an immediate temporary measure.
The army chief said Pakistan Army stands with the flood-affected population in this testing time and shall undertake the assistance effort as a national obligation.
The province’s infrastructure has been badly affected during the ongoing rains and floods have washed away several roads, while more than 200 people have been killed.
Meanwhile, army troops reached affected areas of Sindh including Karachi with flood relief equipment on Saturday as the relentless rains leave at least 34 people dead across the province, the military said.
“Army rescue teams have started dewatering operation and ration distribution in affected areas of district Dadu, Thatta, Badin and Jamshoro,” the Inter-Services Public Relations said in a statement.
The reserve rescue teams are on a high alert to meet any emergency situation in the wake of continuous rains and urban flooding in Karachi and interior Sindh, it added.
The unrelenting spell of the monsoon which started on August 17 has flooded large parts of Sindh, taking lives of at least 34 persons in several districts and injuring a still larger number of the people.
