Thursday, 8 September, 2022 I 11 Safar, 1444 I rs 15.00 I Vol XIII No 70 I 12 Pages I Islamabad edition
PM urges for sustainable MechanisM to control cliMate change
PESHAWAR
t
Staff RepoRt
HE prime minister on Wednesday said worst floods in the country’s historic caused heavy losses to lives and infrastructure, emphasising need for introduction of a sustainable system to cope with the challenges of climate change. Shehbaz Sharif said huge sums were required to carry out relief and rehabilitation efforts in the flood-hit areas, and vowed that the entire process would be carried out in a transparent manner.
Addressing the locals and flood victims after reviewing restoration work at Sago Bridge in Dera Ismail Khan, the prime minister said the country was grappling with unprecedented floods. With the assistance provided by a philanthropist, the first batch of 100 prefabricated houses having two rooms and a toilet would be built in the city to accommodate widows and orphans in the first phase. He said the houses would be built in two weeks and he would personally visit the site to assess if the project could be replicated by the government in other parts of the country.
Sharif recalled that during his previous visit to Tank and Dera Ismail Khan cities immediately after the floods, the people were in the rehabilitation phase until the floods hit them again. He lauded the administration and army for acting in unison while contributing their efforts to the rescue and rehabilitation of the affected people across the country. The prime minister said it was a time to rise above politics and demonstrate the spirit of service and welfare for the people. He said the coalition government raised the relief money under Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) from Rs28 billion to Rs70 billion for flood-affected people. He said every affected household would be provided Rs25,000 in a transparent way to help them mitigate their sufferings. In addition, Rs1 million would be given as compensation money to the relatives of the deceased. The prime minister outlined the damages to crops and livestock by floods which earlier used to be the means of livelihood for the locals. He said the government had ordered the purchase of 0.2 million tents with an aim to provide shelter to the homeless. Sharif lauded the efforts of Minister for Communication Maulana Asad Mahmood and Army Chief Gen. Qamar Javed Bajwa for putting their efforts into pacing up the relief and rehabilitation activities. He also acknowledged the donations sent by the friendly nations to help Pakistan overcome the challenges. In Swat, he regretted that violation of building hotels and resorts in the river stream resulted in damages.
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Death toll rises to 1,343 as flood relief, rescue operation underway at brisk pace DADU/QUETTA/SUKKUR Staff RepoRt
Floodwater torrent from Manchhar Lake on Wednesday inundated Indus Highway and submerging seven union councils while 18 people lost their lives and 17 others got injured in various flood-related incidents during past 24 hours, taking the death toll to 1,343 since June 14, throughout the country. The armed forces including Pakistan Navy and PAF intensified its relief and rehabilitation operation across the country. According NDMA and Sindh PDMA authorities, the authorities have been engaged in fighting to prevent the roaring lake from bursting its banks. The officials said Larkana-Hyderabad Indus Highway was submerged completely while the land link of Dadu and Larkana with Se-
hwan and Hyderabad was cut off. “The Indus Highway from Wahar to Sehwan Toll Plaza is submerged and he police blocked the road by erecting barriers to avoid any damage,” the police said. MoheNjo-DAro AIrPorT CloSeD: The Mohenjo-Daro Airport, which
has been lying closed for three years, is adding to the problems of people who are stranded in their areas due to the closure of main roads amid floods. The Larkana-HyderabadKarachi Indus Highway is blocked due to floodwater. Similarly, the
Sukkur-Sukrand-Hyderabad National Highway is also closed for traffic due to inundation. The locals have demanded that the flight operation at Mohenjo-Daro Airport should be resumed immediately. The flood-hit people in Khairpur Nathan Shah, living on the roofs of their houses, hungry and thirsty, are still waiting for aid. They told the media that no one had informed them about the floodwater torrent which inundated their area, leaving them stranded on the roofs of their houses. They added that dozens of stranded people were falling prey to different diseases including malaria and diarrhea. “Due to the lack of medical facilities, the lives of many people are at risk,” they expressed concern.
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Conspiracy being hatched to topple PTI govt in Punjab, claims Imran iSlAmAbAD Staff RepoRt
PTI chairman and former prime minister Imran Khan on Wednesday claimed that a conspiracy was being hatched to topple the PTI government in Punjab, alleging that his ministers in the province were being threatened to accept bribes by “Mr X and Mr Y”. Addressing a rally in Chishtian, he said that PTI’s Punjab lawmakers were being offered bribes worth millions of rupees. “And Mr X and Mr Y are threatening them to accept these bribes.” Imran implied that the Punjab government would be toppled via a no-trust vote and subsequently showed a series of past statements by PML-N leaders where they could could be heard saying that the establishment played a “third party” role in the noconfidence movement against him earlier this year. “So if the no-confidence vote succeeds in Punjab, then according to them [the PML-N], it will be done by the establishment,” he said. Elaborating on his claim further, the PTI chief stated that the “conspiracy was being hatched” to bring PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif back to the country. However, Imran said that he was unfazed by Nawaz’s return. “I am waiting for you to come back. And when you do, it is my promise that the nation will welcome you in a way which has never been seen before in the country.” But, the PTI chief contended, “while the nation is reeling from floods and there is an economic crisis, you are playing these political gimmicks”. “Don’t you have any care for the country and its people? You are destroying everything.” Imran also criticised the suspension of YouTube service across Pakistan during his Peshawar rally yesterday, saying that the government was cracking down on journalists supporting PTI and channels showing his speeches out of fear. “They are scared and want to disqualify me,” he said, adding that it was why “fake cases” were being registered against him. “But now that all of their techniques are failing, they are trying to turn the institutions — army and judiciary — against me. “But, let me warn you, no matter what you do, you will be defeated,” the PTI chief added.
Naseem Shah’s last-minute heroics take Pakistan to Asia Cup final SHARJAH Mian abRaR
Last-minute heroics by young sensation Naseem Shah in the last over helped Pakistan secure a birth in the final of the Asia Cup 2022 and send India packing. In a low-scoring thriller, Pakistan defeated Afghanistan by one wicket as Afghanistan had set a 130-run target for Pakistan after being asked to bat first by Babar Azam. The match appeared to be in the bag after Afghanistan were dismissed for 130, however, Mohammad Nabi and Co. gave the Green Shirts a run for their money with their exceptional bowling. Pakistan lost Fakhar Zaman and Babar Azam in the first six overs and when they lost in-form Mohammad Rizwan at the end of the ninth over with just 48 runs on the board, it seemed that the Men in Green were in trouble. Afghanistan’s bowlers continued pil-
ing up the pressure but Iftikhar Ahmed and Shadab Khan’s 42-run partnership helped ensure that by the end of the 16th over, the target was within reach. The tide turned in Afghanistan’s favour after the partnership was broken and Pakistan lost quick wickets cheaply. In the last two overs, Pakistan needed 21 off 12 balls and had just three wickets in hand. In the second last over, Fareed Ahmad took two wickets, including the crucial wicket of Asif Ali. By the end of his over, Pakistan needed 11 off 6 balls and just had their numbers 10 and 11 — Naseem and Mohammad Hasnain — on the crease. However, Naseem’s two sixes from the first two balls of the penultimate helped Pakistan snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. The one-wicket win meant that Pakistan will now take on Sri Lanka in the final of the Asia Cup. Afghanistan were off to a flying start and looked set to set a big score once
their openers started to hit the ball over the park. However, Haris Rauf dismissed the explosive Rahmanullah Gurbaz in the fourth over and Mohammad Hasnain removed Hazratullah Zazai to bring two new batsmen to the crease. Once the openers were dismissed, Babar brought in Mohammad Nawaz and Shadab who put pressure on Afghanistan with their tight bowling. The pressure eventually got to Karim Janat and Ibrahim Zadran who were struggling to middle the ball. In the 12th over, Nawaz dismissed Janat to put Afghanistan three down. From then on, regular dismissals by the bowlers and tight bowling by the Men in Green put Afghanistan in check. It was only two boundaries by Rashid Khan in the last over that pushed Afghanistan to 129-6 and helped them set a 130-run target for Pakistan. For the Men in Green, Haris ended
up with two wickets while Nawaz, Shadab, Hasnain, and Naseem took one wicket each.
For Afghanistan, Ibrahim Zadran was their highest run scorer who ended up with 35 runs off 37 balls.