Pakistan

Promises galore: 10 Crore for rehabilitation, 5 Lac for families who lost dear ones in Attabad, free education for children

PT Report

Hunza, May 24: The leaders of PML (N) have expressed solidarity with the suffering people of Hunza Valley. Speaking with journalists at the Gilgit Airport Nawaz Sharif said that the Pakistani nation stands with the affected people in their hours of grief. He said that all out efforts will be made to ensure suffering of the people.

Addressing the IDPs at Hunza Shehbaz Sharif, chief minister of the Punjab, announced 10 crore rupees for rehabilitation of the people displaced from Attabad, Hunza. They also announced that 5 lac each will be paid to families who lost their dear ones in the landslide disaster. CM Punjab further said that children of the affected families will be provided free education and accommodation in the cities of their choice in Punjab.

Later former prime minister of Pakistan, Nawaz Sharif, endorsed the announcements made by his brother and said that helicopter service needs to be enhanced to further facilitate the stranded people.

He, however, did not openly support the demand of the local people for judicial inquiry into the alleged delay in excavation of the spillway.

PML (N) leaders also said that a team of doctors would be deployed in the affected region to provide medical facilities to the people.

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29 Comments

  1. I really dont uderstand is it a game of polictics or a real symphathty with the people of Hunza, Any how we should take it positively and how would it be nice if we we will take these politicieans against those culprits who did their worst against the people of Hunza delaying the spillway work and brought thousands of lives at risk, destroyed the infrasrtucture of Hunza-Gojal.
    we should take these politicians(Nawaz shrif, Marvi Memon, MQM) with us and register a case file against Ex- NDMA Head, the currupt official of G-B who were involved behind this disaster and the pak Army core -FWO who faild and delyed the spillway work from 4th january. these are all the culprits who were involved in this Human made disaster and we must take sue against them not only in the national premeir Cheif court of Pakistan but in an International Inquiry organizaion as well.

    Its said that people of Huza are 100% litrate but i would say they are 100% socially illirate and they dont even know how to use these politician to take their Rights.
    Dont let yourselves to be grasped in somones hand but take the politicians in your hand and use them for your Rights.
    my slogan (ONE HUNZA, ALL PEOPLE, ONE COMMUNITY)

    1. I appreciate the contribution made by PML N but the need is to take a major step to sake the wrekage making the lives of affected people normal.

  2. It,s open heart contribution inspite of PML(N)’s catestrophic failure from Hunza, thanx to Nawaz Shahrif.

  3. I think this is much better way of showing sympathy compared to what our Prime Minister did.It is now to the people of Hunza how much effort they make to materilize these promises.I request them to take into confiednce the PML-N Set-up in GB and use these funds as soon as possible to lessen the suffering of affectees.
    Thanks To Punjab Government and PML-N

    Sher Khan
    Rawalpindi

  4. One would almost be satisfied with the promises that the PML (N) leaders have made and we really appreciate that, but i would like to make a clear point here that, these don’t just be “promises”! i hope that the people get what Mr.Nawaz Sharif and brother have affirmed in the article written above. Well, we shouldn’t now blame them for making such a late call, i know our people have gone through tough times and are still facing hardship, but we are thankful that some steps are being taken and and our values and rights are being considered. At last our voices are heard!
    I pray that God give more strength and courage to those who have suffered and may they be given their rights…

  5. It is true that the govt has been naive at this urgency. If they had little brains, the army should have dug a small channel all along the landslide area which would have allowed the water to discharge at a steady pace. This discharge would have prevented the river to accumulate water to such a dangerous level. But like all other fronts, our guardians have failed to control disaster of such a minor level. I would call it minor, had it been been given proper thought in the beginning!

  6. Dear readers
    A simple question, that is all, Mr. Nawaz Sharif(head of Pakistan Taliban movement ). It is on record that he is involved with massive Inland and foreign Taliban actives and financial+moral support, well I don’t want to go in to detail but just to give a small picture of the hero of many in the GB.
    History is the most obvious judge , Mr. Sharif the real culprit and right hand to all the activities that kill almost 20,000 people in Gilgit sectarian violence in the early days.
    Mr. Sharif or the Riwand man is the biggest supporter of Islamic extremism or Wahabism in the country and has a soft corner toward ban Gihadi organizations. He is also form the group that is working to propagate the false slogan that the people of Hunza are working on making Hunza an Ismilia (Aaga Khani) state.
    Now why is he so much generous toward the people of Hunza. To me he can never without an hidden agenda. First he is making some good to the Royals of the area, second may be working on some initial involvement in the area as its has its unique place in the country , the only suitable way between the new superpower China and rest of the world though land.
    Just a though may be right or wrong

    1. Mr Shumal Khan 1 thing you had forgotten. The takeover of Nawaz on Judiciary in his second term.

      I think it is a race of politics in the nascent provincial set up. And one more…..He has just announced not given yet, Don’t forget that he is a politician and that of Pakistan.

    2. Dear Mr. Shumal,

      with deep regret i am writing to you reply of your comment, plz plz dont play with the emotions of the people, if you dont like mian sab or his party its not necessary to comment of them like Taliban etc, they are here to help us in this difficult time and they have won the hearts of all by announcing a good package to the people of Hunza.
      if they are taliban or supporter of taliban than why the Americans or our govt. do not arrest them because USA has so far invested billions of dollars to demolish the taliban movement for the last 16 years, i thing Mian Sab or PML (N) is the most popular party of the country and this time they are playing great role to build/save Pakistan.

  7. thank you Sharif brothers and the govt of Pnajab for your sympathy…….but one thing surprises me why they came to visit and made these package announcements…………… isn’t it like the PM came and failed to get the encouragement from the people of Hunz-Gojal and the Sharif Bros saw an opportunity to strengthen their hold in GB through human sympathy….these are such dirty games our so called leaders have been playing with us for the last 60+ years…..i hope this time it isn’t like that but the facts and the rational thinking not allows me to think positively about these politicians.

  8. We should appreciate the gove. of Punjab for showing their sympathy to the affectees of the disaster of 4 Jan.
    But the question is, that such reliefs will be distributed to the real affectees or not?
    either to the affectees of Aayenabad, Shishkat, Gulmit, Gulkin or to the affected people of Hussaini??

    Gojal has been in hardship but no one is out there who can talk about that. All the leaders, representative of different political parties as well the media persons are limited in Hunza, where nothing has happened beside Attaabad. The lake has affected five villages of Gojal, WHY IT’S NOT SHOWNED ????
    WHY IS IT NOT IN DISCUSSION ????
    INSPITE OF GIVEING COVERAGE TO THOSE WHO ARE DEMOLISHING THEIR HOUSES AND SEEING THEIR LAND SINKING INFRONT OF THEIR EYES..BUT WHY THE MEDIA IS DOING A COVERAGE OF THOSE PEOPLE TO WHOME NOTHING HAS HAPPENED YET, WHO ARE RISING SLOGANS AGAINST THE GOVT, WHY??
    Isn’t there anyone who can request the media people to go and have a look on the situation of Goajal? Which is the real affected area.

    The relief is sent to the affected people but why it does not reach to Gojal?

    Why Gojalies? why we have got that much callus? and not even asking a word for our rights.

  9. I think we should be really “thankful” to all these politicians who where closing their eyes, ears and hearts before and using this situation for their political benefit. The question is: where were these politicians before? Why we people from Hunza Gojal are not understanding that we have to be one? And this was the time which should have brought us together – but it dos’nt look like it. There are some questions for all of us:
    1. why was the NDMA chief changed?
    2. why was the chief secretary of Gilgit changed?
    3. why was the governeur changed?
    4. why were the people protesting in each city until the area was declared as calmatiy hit area and afterwards falling asleep?
    5. what is the benefit of this status for the normal people?
    6. why was the work not given to the Chinese who have the knowledge, experience and capacity for a huge task like this?
    7. why was AKDN not able to do so much, which we were hoping for?
    I think we should all try to find the answers for these questions, which will help us in the future to know whom we really should be thankful to. And I think in the end it is only us who can change everything….!

  10. The dam might burst anytime, and the resulting flood will devastate the Hunza valley, and might severely damage the bridges on the Karakoram high way.

    When the landslide took place in Jan, there was very little flow in the river. The Pakistani authorities had time to act. A landslide of similar proportions occurred in China in 2008 in May, when water flow was high. The Chinese had only one month to prepare a spillway, where as the Pakistanis had more than four months before the dam brimmed. The Chinese pared down the block a lot more than the Pakistanis did. The Pakistanis had only one shift instead of three eight-hour shifts working day & night at the dam.

    The Pakistani authorities used only bull dozers and excavators, which is useful for shifting debris over short distances of 30 to 40 meters. They should have used the excavators to fill the dumpers to cart away the debris downstream to a distance of 200 meters. Scrappers assisted by dozers also should have been used to cart the debris down stream. Carting the debris downstream helps in increasing the resistance of the dam to sudden bursting. Dumping the debris next to the trench will result in the debris sliding back into the trench.

    The spillway prepared at the Attabad block looks like a trench, is not big enough to accommodate the high summer flows of the river. The erosion will be severe leading to a catastrophic melt down of the dam.
    Even after the landslide in January, the work of broadening the KKH continued and is continuing even now, even though the effort might be washed away. Earthmoving equipment is being used on the KKH! Couldn’t some of the equipment have been diverted to Hunza to beef up the effort?

    Gulmit could have been saved. Photographs in the Pamir times showing the Hanzakuts of Gulmit cutting down standing crops and salvaging doors and windows is dread full. The Hanzakuts are just about eking out a living and the future looks bleak for them. I feel sorry for them.

    The cost incurred in paring down the landslide dam is nothing compared to the cost incurred by way of submergence of villages upstream, and cost of devastation that is likely to occur downstream.

  11. I personally feel that Punjab CM and Mr Nawaz Shariff have been very generous with their support. But it is duty and responsibility of the government to help and even start the long process of earlt recovery (post lake overtopping/dam breach–which now more likely) and then rehabilitation. This is a very costly phase as is obvious from 2005 Earthquake.
    People of Gojal are fortunate that a good person like Gen Nadeem is now Chairman of NDMA. He will work in close colloboration with International donor agencies, FOCUS etc and build back the area better and safer.We all should convert this tragedy into opportunity and make the area a model area of the country—a 21st century region.

    But my most important request to NDMA/FOCUS is that you should have an international conference on landslide/avalnches/GLOF in the GB provinces where International experts are invited.Try and understand the problem better and work out long term plans to make the area safe. Let us not have mini Attabads in future.Please.

  12. This is called a smart move, as per the popular public demand. They did this in response to the shameful act by the prime minister, cutting a ribbon on the emotionally charged people. Every body was stunned to see that.

    This shows how competent the advisors to the government are.

    “Andher Nagree, Chopat raaj”

  13. Good work by Mian brathran if materialized. but still Mir sb is out of the sceen while he always claim hunza as his property.hope he will not sleep too long

  14. Hunza has become the political battle field for parties every party is trying to play their own card!! Well a handsome support from PML N ( if they materialize what they have promised) but i wonder if PML N or any other party including marvi memon was so sincere with the area why didnt they rasied their voices when things had not gone so nasty? Where was the opposition than? Well this has become a political issue and we are being the situation is being manipulated…But who cares ! We need immediate relief from who so ever.

  15. i agree 100 % with Mr L.K, we should use these politicians for our own right

  16. Shame on all of you who don’t see kindness and generosity when it is provided with open hands! No matter what the brothers’ intentions are, even if it is only political mileage, the point is they came to help in the hour of need!! Despite Mr. Sharif’s humiliating defeat in the November Polls and bagging the least amount of seats in GB Assembly, he has emerged today as a stronger leader in comparison to all this contemporaries. Bringing Mr. Sharif in the last days before a potential water disaster, was the decisive move by Former Chief Executive GB Ghazanfar Ali Khan (who’s son also contested the elections from GBLA 6 on PML (N)’s party ticket.) What the local GB Media chooses to edit is the fact that the Ghazanfar and his family personally receieved the Sharif brothers and other dignitaries who were seated in the Former Chief Executive’s personal vehicles and taken to the IDP Camp Site. It was upon Ghazanfar’s personal request that the Punjab Govt’s donation was increased from 5 Crores to 10 Croroes. Let’s give credit where its due.

    God Bless GB.

  17. indeed in this high grief situation these political bullz are trying to win over the heart by announcing food,clothing shelter and other things, its a great sorry for the people Hunza and people along Hunza river, though natural disasters are beyond human control and access most of the time, still when the situation at Atta Abad alandside, as many have commented, was in pretty control and alternative action could have been taken to avoid such big catastrophe,why these political leaders didn’t go to visit and raise the issue at national level right after the disaster, why didn’t the Army chief visited the area ?where was the media for last five months? why they were asleep till the artificial lake submerged Properties,bridges and valleys?its learnt that every one has a reason and that is to commercialize either the news or views…
    still we hope the government will take immediate reconstruction and rehabilitation of displaced people and give urgent relief package as its the primary right of the people of every Pakistan!further
    its known to all that the people of hunza can battle back to reconstruct the damages and help the effected brothers and will face the natural calamity as the volunteerism the is crux of the development !
    thank you
    MirzaW

  18. I am sad about half part of the disaster hit area is being highlighted and half is ignored. The actual affecties of the disaster so far are Attabad, Ayenabad, Shishkat and Gulmit, but our political figures are keep visiting just the IDPs of attaabad in Karimabad. all the concentration of Media, NGOs and govt. is on downstream. Who will compensate the IDPs in the upstream?? They too have lost their house and property.
    This is a very crucial time for the people of Gojal, I must tell you nobody will fight for the right of Gojal, Upper Hunza, so we must stand up now. Our land and our people are in need of our sacrifices. Many people have their own interest in this disaster, so get united now and before a huge destruction occurs downstream, bring your problems to the notice of authorities and get attention of media.
    I think there are many hidden hands who are briefing these leaders only to visit Karimabad because Media is there and KA is a beautiful picnic spot. Anyway I appreciate PML-N for their help to the people of Hunza, and I am sure this visit must have earned good name and good reputation to Mian Bradraan which the PM could not earn.

  19. cmon everyone .nawaz brotheran just annouced pakage but i aam dame sure thy will nt be able to give them this big deall…….to say things infront of public is an eassy way to make them fool ,bbut to do work with real esteeem is very much difficult .so plz kindly donot believe these disgustic,greedy ppl

  20. Hunza Hunaz Hunza , yes Im form Hunza, good that is very nice, but Im in teh water and all the (f……..) people or heads are just visiting Karimabad and Aliabad…….

    why are they underwater, are living in open air, have they lost all that they have been saving of thousand of years,,,,,,,,,,, sorry may be according to my information, the water is destroying everything in upper hunza, in Harbar, in Gojal what every you all like to call it, but my question is why still not a single F,,,,,,,, leader is with the people in Gojal,

    and to Wazir Baig , we did not support you and rejected leaders form Gojal , to abuse us on TV channals , and to sit back in your house, with your family and Jiyalas of PPP.
    No you are my servent , your are the servent of thousand that have selected you form Hunza, your were cry in the election when your own Hunzukurts, form Kariamabad, Aliabad, and every other abad rejected you , and it was me the Gojali who mad you smile with vote of victory , and made you the first ever Speaker of GBLA.

    Now that Im in pain and crying for all that I have lost you should be with me, and should ask me first before making any statement, you dont have to use your word but have to use what I tell you to because that is how it works and should work

  21. Leave all these politicians to dance on their on styles as they did before. People are dying without treatment, they don’t care of, students are pushed back from their studies, why should they care of the future of our new generation of Gojal?? It is their style to make the people fool since decades and our people are still with their same styles of getting fool or innocents and are not changed intellectually or politically.

    I would request the Representatives of Pamir Times and especially the key persons to post some updated pictures of the lake rising situation in Shishkat and Gulmit. So we could see feel, look for opportunities towards re-establishment process and pray for our sinking paradise. Thank you Zulfi, I am sure you will do it.

  22. Thanks to Mr. Nawaz Sharif and Mr. Shabaz Sharif for visiting Hunza and announcing financial support for the affectees. But I wish they could have visited the villages where the water is damaging physical asstes of people.

  23. Comon commenters, it is time to face this unfortunate disaster together its not the right time to politicise each and everything. we believe and hope we together will cross this dificult bridge and will soon start a new and bright future again with new courage as our forfathers did for us in their times with the help of their own. still not loosing hope…

  24. Thank you Shareef Bradraan for the generous support and visiting People in Need no matter with whatever intention but… a big BUT the question remains when will this package be available to the local govt and ultimately to the actual affectees. I’m optimistic that it wont be just a political statement, since Punjab govt has already sent medical teams with supplies in the last 48 hours, I would request all the Hunzukutch to be united, generous, and helping instead of politicizing the situation, playing Hunza-Gojal. Its a big opportunity for all the locals to glue together, forget past events and bring harmony to the Heaven on Earth.
    Now that we are just 2 days away from the point of over-topping we should be prepared for the worst case and hope for a slow & smooth spill. God be with you, I’m sorry for the affected community upstream, wish the situation comes to normal soon & best wishes for the people downstream.
    Khuda-e ma mushkil chor asaan etish, ameen!

  25. Thanks for Sharif Brothers for their support as well as to Hafeez ur Rehman, but my question is why didn’t Mir sahib visit Hunza earlier when people were in trouble and unfortunately there was no opposition leader to raise voice with the people.
    I heard it from reliable source that Mir sahib was even unaware regarding the visit of Mia Brothers. That is the only reason that he is not among the Mian Brothers and officials on the stage and even there was Panaflex a photo of Hafiz Rehman displayed in the background.

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