PESHAWAR: The opposition parties in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly on Monday demanded of the federal and provincial governments to declare the flood-affected districts of the Malakand and Hazara divisions the calamity-hit area and repair damaged infrastructure without delay.

The demand was made by the opposition lawmakers through a joint calling attention notice in the house, where Speaker Mushtaq Ahmed Ghani was in the chair.

The issue was raised by Awami National Party’s members Faisal Zeb and Waqar Ahmad, Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal’s Inayatullah Khan and Humaira Khatoon, and Jamaat-i-Islami’s Sirajuddin.

Mr Inayatullah said 84 people were killed by the recent rains and floods, which had severely affected parts of Malakand and Hazara divisions while over 100 people were injured by the natural calamity.

Minister tells PA that damage assessment, preparation of compensation lists underway

He said over 600 houses were destroyed or damaged, while hundreds of cattle were killed in those areas.

The lawmaker said the destruction of roads, bridges and houses in those areas was ‘unimaginable’.

MPA Faisal Zeb said all districts of Malakand and Hazara divisions were severely affected by the recent floods leaving the people homeless and without basic facilities.

He demanded of both governments to provide basic facilities to the people and restore traffic on all roads.

Responding to the calling attention notice of the opposition, labour minister Shaukat Yousafzai said rains and floods had destroyed scores of houses and roads in the province.

He said though the district administrations and provincial departments were making all-out efforts to repair roads and remove debris, many link roads were still closed.

The minister said the departments concerned had begun assessment of the damage and preparation of the list of the affected people for the payment of compensation.

He said the government had so far distributed Rs13.8 million among the calamity-affected people, while the rest would be compensated soon.

Through another calling attention notice, PPP member Ahmed Kundi drew the government’s attention towards the reduced water level in the Chishma Right Bank Kanal in Dera Ismail Khan district saying the development had affected the agriculture sector in the region.

He demanded of the government to ensure the required water in the CRBC and said the poor farmers were not getting water for irrigation.

The lawmaker said DI Khan was the ‘food basket’ of the province and if the government provided the required water to it for irrigation purposes, then it would reduce dependency of the province in agriculture on others.

The chair referred the issue to the relevant standing committee of the house for a detailed discussion after the approval of the government.

Law minister Sultan Mohammad Khan tabled the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Appointment of Law Officers (Amendment) Bill, 2020, on the floor of the house and food minister Qalandar Khan Lodhi the Covid-19 (Prevention of Hoarding) Bill, 2020.

The house passed the KP Delimitation of Local Council Repeal Bill, 2020, which was moved by special assistant to the chief minister on local government department Kamran Bangash.

The chair adjourned the session until Tuesday.

Published in Dawn, September 8th, 2020