By A Reporter

RAWALPINDI, Sept 15: The prime minister’s media coordinator, Mian Khurram Rasul, on Wednesday suggested to the government to restore the local government system for one year to accelerate the relief and rehabilitation activities in flood-hit areas.

Speaking at a press conference at Rawalpindi-Islamabad Press Club he said Nazimeen and Naib Nazimeen of their respective areas would give a helping hand to the government in this regard.

Alluding to Ch Shujaat Hussain led Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid-i-Azam (PML-Q), Mr Rasul said defeatist elements were trying to bring back former president Pervez Musharraf, although there was no room for him in politics as people did not like dictators.

Khurram Rasul was flanked by former Naib Nazimeen Nasir Mir and Suhail Pasha.

He said that the devastating flood in the country left 1770 people died and 1.884 million people displaced. He said that the flood washed away 100 bridges and 150 kilometers road network. He said that the PPP led government was striving to rehabilitate the people in flood-hit areas.

He said that the government was drafting a policy to write off the loans and dues of utility services in the flood-affected areas. He said that the government had launched Pakistan Card to provide money to flood affected people.

He said that the government was building hospitals in flood-hit areas in collaboration with friendly countries to provide better health services to flood affected people. He said the government had provided life saving drugs especially antivenom in all the mobile health care units in flood affected areas.

He said that a total of Rs4.34 billion donations had been received at Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani’s fund for flood affected people. Friendly countries gave $1238.35 million and NGOs received $816.69 million.

He said that the government was monitoring the funds received for flood affected people in transparent manners. He said that the government would give Rs20,000 per person and Rs80,000 for the reconstruction of the houses in flood-hit areas.

He said that the free of cost seeds and urea would be provided to farmers. He said that the government was taking all the political parties on board before launching any scheme for flood affected people.

Later, Mian Khurram Rasul handed over Rs200,000 cheque to Rawalpindi-Islamabad Press Club Senior Joint Secretary Dastar Shah and Joint Secretary Khurram Butt for the press club.