Pakistan

PM addresses GBLA; says govt to extend every support for socio- economic development of area

GILGIT, May 21 (APP) – Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani on Friday said the federal government will extend an all out support for increased socio-economic development of Gilgit-Baltistan.Gilani, who was on a day-long visit to Gilgit and Hunza to assess the situation caused by the land-sliding at Attabad and the blockage of the Hunza river, was addressing the Gilgit-Baltistan Legislative Assembly (GBLA).

The prime minister said an amount of Rs 100,000 each will be given as compensation for the damaged homes in the villages affected by land-sliding at Attabad, adding, more financial aid will be given for Hunza affectees after damage assessment. He said the Pakistan Peoples Party-led government was committed to development of GB and assured members of GBLA that the process of disbursement of Rs. 15 billion package already announced by the federal government for Gilgit-Baltistan will be expedited.

The prime minister said the federal government has also allocated Rs. 5-billion for the government of Gilgit-Baltistan.

He announced the opening of the office of National Highways Authority (NHA) in Gilgit and said work on the improvement and expansion of Gilgit-Skardu road would be completed as early as possible.

The prime minister also announced the opening of NADRA and passport offices in Diamar, adding, the people affected by the land acquired for Diamar-Bhasha dam would be compensated.

Prime Minister Gilani said Gilgit-Baltistan has plenty of natural resources, which need to explored and exploited for the socio-economic development of area.

He hoped that the democratic government of Gilgit-Baltistan would focus on good governance, with all institutions including the executive, legislature and judiciary working within their constitutional parameters.

The prime minister said PPP being a federal party has always been striving for the due rights of people across the country, which was also evident from the fact that it gave autonomy to Gilgit-Baltistan.

He said by giving autonomy to Gilgit-Baltistan the PPP led government has taken forward the vision and mission of Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Shaheed.

Gilani said as socio-economic and political empowerment of women across the country was included in the PPP manifesto, the federal government appointed a woman Governor – Dr. Shama Khalid – in Gilgit-Baltistan.

The prime minister on this occasion also took oath from two new members of GBLA, Amjad Hussain Advocate and Ghulam Hussain Saleem.

The prime minister was accompanied by Minister for Information and Broadcasting Qamar Zaman Kaira, Interior Minister Rehman Malik, Minister for Water and Power Raja Pervaiz Ashraf and senior officials.

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13 Comments

  1. Why don’t you show us updated images of the spillway and the barrier? That’s all we care about and we need at this time.. timely updates on the situation on the ground

  2. hello,
    what a jok is done by PM. You all are well awear of the Govt. policy then why the 100% educated people are fooled by such politician. damn…
    Navaid Veercan Ghulkin

  3. Dear readers
    Same old story, as I had mentioned before, some comments some promises, some relief and many many promises . and end of the story
    Well just one question to the people who have little mind, the houses which have been destroyed, they worth only 100,000 only . Which house can be rebuilt in that amount?
    Its is a big big joke with the people , give them money that is equal to the pair of Sandal of Mrs . Gilani. This is called PM visit. Nothing more. And all those announcement.
    Another thing , what will the people of Diamer do with the NADRA and Passport office , when they are not left with any thing to call. They have to leave, so why they need these offices for.
    Thanks dear PM to come here for entertainment.

  4. dear readers well the visit of mr,Gillani is mere a drama to conjure people of our area that they are giving us importance.where is our so called governer?one thing i wanna mention is whn our governer visited shiskat she announce to upgrade middle school to high school.our politicians are just like those dr whose give medicine of anxiety to patient of cancer.i dnt wether politicians are really unable to diagnose the real problem or they just fool people .what is the use of that school if they dnt ve even tents to live there?similarly mr.PM did with diyamar people,they need proper residential area but PM is focusing on offices.

  5. Where are those who had been firing at me when I had attempted to endorse the vision of Musharaff almost two years ago? They all were of the opinion that democracy is the best solution for every thing…..LOL… they say democracy is the best revenge; I say it is the process of electing most stupid, illeterate, ignorant, lusty, greedy, characterless, insane creatures who being initially beggers happen to be looters once they are in power. it certainly is for taking revenge against communities from where these so called leaders are elected!

    Soon after many huge chunks of mud and boulders falling down the slope of Attabad blocked the narrow basin of River Hunza, water started accumulating upstream engulfing small settlements along both sides of river. The catastrophe took 19 precious lives from Attabad and rendered hundreds homeless in extremely harsh weather of January with temperatures as low as -15 degree Celsius. FOCUS Humanitarian Organization and local community were at their best to mitigate the immediate needs of affected population, yet the inefficiency of elected members of Gilgit Baltistan compounded by their lack of failure to secure relief and their evil intentions to reward political workers in the aftermath of such a disaster left the local populace at the mercy of individual philanthropy as well as self help. With dawn setting off every next day people woke up with hopes being raised by hollow slogans of so called democratically elected politicians visiting the lake accompanied by their dear and near ones from federal and provincial chapters relishing the aerial view of tranquil beauty of lake and valley.

    With inflow of water increasing day by day, miseries of surrounding villages further aggravated. The local authorities including NDMA, GOVT of GLT-BALTISTAN and FEDERAL GOVT slept like hares. The exaggerated claims made regarding sorties made and relief goods provided are nothing more than a crystal clear lie. The community itself has helped their brothers grieved with loss of lives and property. There were more than 120 houses which were empty in AHMEDABAD, FAIZABAD, ALTIT, KARIMNABAD, MOMINABAD, ALIABAD which could have been efficiently used by local authorities instead of camps to settle the affected population so that their integrity and self esteem could have remained untouched.

    Govt of GLT-BALTISTAN could have asked federal government for in kind and financial support. Two spoon sized excavators had been moved to Attabad to remove debris spreading over 3 Kms. Local PPP workers claim that they have done every thing to help the suffering communities. The ego of local population, which itself has organized, the entire work under the auspices of Ismailia Regional Council has been jeopardized by the claims by political workers, NDMA and other less-efficient departments made for the work which has never been done by them. What worries and bothers me is the sluggishness of elected government representatives and their false claims thus being made. A high degree of abhorrence towards the mentally retarded political leaders is prevalent among general population which needs urgent attention by media.

    Now following are the Questions.
    1- Why soon after assessing the magnitude of loss and size of catastrophe, local representatives (CM, SPEAKER, ELECTED MEMBERS) did not declare emergency? Even after one month why proactive measures were not taken?

    2- Why “WAIT AND SEE” policy was adopted?

    3- Who stopped them from settling the communities in built empty houses rather than in tent-camps? Why relief was not provided through committees representing the actual affctees instead of storing it centrally?

    4- Why political government of GLT-Baltistan failed to goad the Federal Government to provide machinery with good quality and adeaqte to remove debris on priority basis?

    5- Why the local population living in village upstream the blockade area could not be protected in a respectable manner and their properties saved in an efficient way?

    6- What special kinds of funds have been/ are being provided to the affected population to revitalize their lives and subsistence?

    7- When all the promises made by so called democratically elected leaders will come true?

    8- Why NDMA and Political Leaders claim that they have done excellent work? What are outcomes revealing protection of local population and their properties? Even if they have done, both it is their responsibility and they are paid for this work!

    9- What special food security measures have been taken to ensure affordability and accessibility of food and prevention of pilferage by those who are linked to powerful authorities including politicians and public sector departments?

    10- What special and adequate measures are taken to provide health and water & sanitation facilities to the affected population?

    11- What are measures established to provide communication facilities at a swift speed after lake bursts?

    12- Now Who says democracy is the solution of problems/issues/challanges?????

  6. Point to think
    What was Raj of Bijli doing here, what is in his mind for us.

  7. 100 % agree with shazia but you could’t no that the people of shiskat demanded for the up gradation of the school..

  8. I have some serious concerns about the compensation announced for destroyed houses of Rs 1,00,000 per house (correct me if I am wrong).
    During 2005 earthquake, compensation of Rs 1,75,000 per destroyed house was given by the government.If you add inflation, this compensation should now be atleast Rs 2,25,000 per house.

    In 2005 earthquake the compensation was given in following break-up (this is from ERRA document):

    “Question 6: How much compensation will I get?
    ANS: The compensation is as follows:
    For destroyed houses,
    • An initial payment of Rs. 25,000 has been made to cover immediate shelter needs.
    The balance of Rs. 150,000 is to be used for permanent housing.It will be paid in three installments:
    • Rs. 75,000 for mobilization;
    • Rs. 25,000 upon completion to plinth level;
    • Rs. 50,000 upon completion of the walls.
    • A final technical inspection of the roof will be made.”

    Are citizens of GB equal. Please be fair.It is for our seniors and leaders to tell government to be fair and be equal in compensation package as they were in Kashmir 2005 earthquake.

  9. It’s a very critical / crucial movement and matter of understanding that this PPP Govt, is the most disastrous Govt. ever in the history of Pakistan, who is care-less about the human damages / mass losses of this area, while PM with his absconder ministers were just for media click and on picnic enjoyment. Whatever he uttered are just jokes as usually he makes often. Now it’s our responsibility, it’s the responsibility of whole Hunza, young and old, men and women, girls and boys to stand up for the real rights of affectees weather they residing at upstream or downstream.

  10. dear readers dont expect any thing positive from so called gilgit baltisitan and so called governemtn of pakistan ……..if governemt has appointed shama khalid as miss governer she shuld dire stand for affecties of hunza ……..anather puuppet mr wazir allllllllallllllllh he is just crazy donkey whi only speak on proiding him grasssssss…i salute ppl of hunza that thay have that much stamina to bear every situation….lets put all of our huzain together t and we salute to aga khan foundation for their worthy support in this rainyyy dayyyyyyy………hate pm ,hate so called wazir alaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa and hate that governerrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

  11. what thee hel this governemtn is plying game with ppl of hunzaaaaaaaaa….these are just greedy pppl to suck blood of innocnet ppllll…….i dnt think so that water will spill in fortcming dayyyyyyyyyyyyyyys ..every one are stilll sleping what the hell this governent is hate….they dnt feel the fellings of imnnocent ppl in camps becozz mr wazir ala his sittin at home with tens of servantassssssssssssssssssssss…..these ppl are just disgusted pllllllll

  12. At least the PM should have done his homework during the past 4 and half months! A tangiable announcement would have minimized the anger of the people. Its the time it matters.. The government may come up with some kind of support window/sfor the rehabilitation but I guess the PM lost his savings account of human capital in Hunza.

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