Us Assures Raisani Of Help For Relief, Rehab Of Flood Victims

Top US diplomat says Washington to continue to cooperate, try to meet basic needs of flood victims in Balochistan

QUETTA: The US has assured the Balochistan government of help for the relief and rehabilitation of the province's flood-affected people.

The top US diplomat for Sindh and Balochistan, William J Martin, met with Balochistan Chief Minister Nawab Muhammad Aslam Raisani and discussed at length the efforts for the relief and rehabilitation of the flood-affected people in the province. The US diplomat said his government would continue to cooperate and try to meet the basic needs and requirements of the affected people in Balochistan.

Martin said the losses suffered in the recent floods were much greater than the 2005 earthquake, which shook parts of Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, adding that US assistance was continuing for the flood-affected people. He said the US had provided 18 helicopters and was using C-130 transport planes to transport relief goods and food for the affected people in different regions. Martin said the US would continue to provide financial and technical assistance for the flood-affected people in Balochistan, adding that the USAID was playing an effective role in relief and rehabilitation work for the flood victims. "It has developed an effective link and is coordinating with the PMDA and with its provincial branches. They are making an assessment of the extent of damage and devastation suffered in these unprecedented floods," he said.

Martin assured the CM that US assistance would be provided through the state and NGOs to ensure transparency and fair and just distribution of relief goods and food among the affected people. However, he added, the US government would coordinate efforts with the Balochistan government and would take it onboard all issues. He was of the view that cooperation and coordination with provincial administers was inevitable.

The US diplomat called for establishing a reliable and dependable distribution network to reach the affected people. "The US government will continue to give top priority to providing food, clean drinking water, healthcare for women and children in its support to the flood-affected people. The US will try to improve the basic infrastructure by repairing and rebuilding the province and economically rehabilitating the affected people, making them productive again and making the local economy stable and strong," he said, adding that with the establishment of a US Consulate in Balochistan, the development process in the region would get a big boost. The CM responded positively to the goodwill and friendly gestures from the US and thanked his government for their support in this time of need.

Raisani said the provincial government was playing its due role in looking after the flood-affected people with its "meagre resources".