ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Law and Justice Azam Nazeer Tarar told the National Assembly on Friday that the recent spell of torrential rains and floods has claimed 884 lives and destroyed over 9,200 homes across Pakistan.
Winding up a debate on the flood situation, the minister revealed that 1,180 people have been injured, while 6,180 livestock perished in the disaster. Thousands of stranded residents were rescued and shifted to safer locations.
Tarar stressed that natural disasters are never easy to handle whether in developed or developing countries. He said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had announced financial compensation for victims as Rs2 million for each deceased, Rs500,000 for the severely injured, and Rs200,000 for the moderately injured. A total of Rs690 million has already been released for the purpose.
The minister added that the NDMA has been provided Rs1.3 billion to carry out relief and rescue operations. He noted that the authority’s weather and flood forecasts had been 92% accurate, urging citizens to pay heed to such warnings in the future.
Calling the calamity a “national tragedy driven by climate change”, Tarar appealed to the public to come forward generously to support the victims. “The scale of destruction is massive. The government is mobilizing all available resources, but the nation must stand together to help our brothers and sisters in need,” he said.
He emphasized that the issue should not be politicized and added “This is a moment for unity, compassion, and collective responsibility.”
