QUETTA, July 6: President Gen Pervez Musharraf has announced Rs15,000 as immediate relief for each flood-affected family in Balochistan to be provided by the federal government.

Speaking at the Kech stadium during a visit to the flood-affected areas in Turbat on Friday, he said: “The Pakistan army and government are with the people of Balochistan in these difficult times”.

The president made a personal donation of Rs5,000 to each flood-hit family present there and said he and his government would not leave the people of Balochistan alone during this difficult time.

He said the government had initially faced problems in carrying out relief operations due to disruptions in the communication system, but now that roads had been reopened, relief work was progressing effectively. He promised to provide “more than the losses suffered by the people” and said that the federal government would pay compensation to all victims of the calamity. He said the government would provide funds to rehabilitate people whose crops and livestock had been destroyed.

President Musharraf said the federal government was providing health facilities in the flood and cyclone-hit areas while the Punjab government had sent teams of doctors and nurses and was also sending relief goods.

“Army always helped the nation whenever it faced any disaster,” he said, adding that the army represented the whole of Pakistan. He said the navy and air force were carrying out extensive rescue and relief work in the coastal and other affected areas. He also lauded the services of the Frontier Corps and police.

Referring to the Mirani dam, President Musharraf said it would benefit the people of the area and around 33,000 acres of land would be irrigated.

The president said he wanted to visit the calamity-hit areas earlier but bad weather prevented him from doing so.

Earlier, the president was given a detailed briefing on the losses suffered by the people. He also met affected families and expressed sympathies for them.

Governor Owais Ahmed Ghani, Chief Minister Jam Mir Mohammad Yousuf, Federal Minister for Social Welfare Mrs Zubaida Jalal, Relief Commissioner Lt. General (retd) Farooq Ahmed Khan, provincial ministers and senior civil and military officers were present on the occasion.