ISLAMABAD: The federal government has approved cash relief for all families of the Harnai area of Balochistan which was hit by a powerful earthquake on Oct 7.

This was announced by Special Assistant to Prime Minister (SAPM) on Poverty Alleviation Senator Sania Nishtar who visited the earthquake-hit areas of Harnai to assess the assistance needed by the area people from the federal government, according to an official press release issued here on Saturday.

“After the visit, she announced the federal government’s cash relief for all families of Harnai,” it said.

“The federal government will give Rs12,000 cash relief to all families of Harnai in immediate relief. The relief will be mobilised under the Ehsaas programme. This cash relief will be in addition to the compensation being planned for affected households after a detailed damage assessment is carried out,” said Dr Nishtar.

Nishtar visits areas affected by Oct 7 tremor

At least 20 people were killed and about 300 others injured when the powerful earthquake struck northern Balochistan on Oct 7 morning, causing roofs and walls of mud-brick houses to collapse over residents while they were asleep.

The earthquake hit Quetta at 3.01am and the Harnai district, 95km northeast of Quetta, bore the brunt of the quake where casualties occurred and hundreds of mud houses collapsed, rendering thousands of people homeless.

Dr Nishtar expressed grief over the human and material losses that she witnessed across the district. She went to village Killi Shor and other areas of Tehsil Harnai to inquire after the affected families.

Sympathising with the affected people, she said the federal government was with the people of Harnai during these hard times and it would do whatever it could to provide them immediate relief.

“We are fully committed to supporting the earthquake-affected people. Ehsaas’ shock-responsive registry will open its desks on Monday in the affected areas,” she said.

Dr Nishtar also reviewed arrangements being made to open Ehsaas registration desks at the Irrigation Department of Harnai.

The Ehsaas National Socio-Economic Registry Survey has been completed in Harnai and the registration desks will facilitate self-enrolment of the households that need Ehsaas’ help.

Citizens Portal

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Imran Khan has ordered re-opening of 83,741 public complaints registered at Pakistan Citizens’ Portal against different government institutions and departments.

According to Prime Minister’s Delivery Unit (PMDU), the officials concerned will be assigned to act on these public complaints.

The prime minister also directed re-opening of 2,549 complaints in which partial relief was provided to complainants. Of the total complaints, 43,351 pertained to 773 federal government departments which would be re-opened, the PM Office’s media wing said in a press release on Saturday.

Apart from this, 40,415 other complaints related to a total of 2,450 provincial institutions/departments would also be re-opened.

At the federal level, the highest number of 3,181 complaints had been received against Islamabad Electric Supply Company (Iesco) which would be re-processed, the PMDU said.

All steps would be taken to ensure resolution of public complaints, the press release claimed.

Eid Milad celebrations

The prime minister will inaugurate on Sunday the start of celebrations for the month of Rabi-ul-Awwal with a special announcement for the youth.

In a tweet on Twitter, Mr Khan said: “Tomorrow afternoon (Sunday), I will inaugurate the start of our celebrations for the month of Rabi-ul-Awwal with a very special announcement, especially for the youth.”

Published in Dawn, October 10th, 2021