Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif Announces Rs4 Billion Relief Package for Gilgit-Baltistan

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif visited Gilgit-Baltistan on Monday, announcing a Rs4 billion relief package to support families affected by devastating flash floods. The package includes a compensation of Rs1 million for each deceased family, Rs500,000 for families with serious injuries, and Rs200,000 for those with minor injuries. Additionally, households that lost their homes were granted Rs500,000 for reconstruction. The prime minister stressed the importance of acting before disaster strikes, highlighting the need for a long-delayed early warning system to mitigate the impact of climate-related disasters. He also vowed to engage with the region until every affected family is rehabilitated, urging the Gilgit-Baltistan government to play an active role in relief and reconstruction.

Key Takeaways:

• The Rs4 billion relief package includes a compensation of Rs1 million for each deceased family, Rs500,000 for families with serious injuries, and Rs200,000 for those with minor injuries.
• The federal government has approved a 100-megawatt solar power project to address chronic power shortages in the region, with a target completion date of one year.
• A Danish School will be established in Gilgit-Baltistan to provide high-quality, merit-based education to children from low-income families.
• A special federal committee has been formed to address the region's development and governance challenges, comprising Minister for Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan Affairs Engineer Amir Muqam and Advisor Rana Sanaullah.
• The Ministry of Climate Change has been directed to implement urgent mitigation and adaptation strategies, particularly for high-risk regions like Gilgit-Baltistan.
• Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has praised the Gilgit-Baltistan government for their rescue and relief operations and expressed sorrow over the loss of lives and livelihoods.
• The prime minister has garnered support from regional leaders and officials from the federal government, including NDMA Chairman Lt Gen Inam Haider Malik, Minister Abdul Aleem Khan, and Minister Attaullah Tarar.

Statistics:

• Rs4 billion: The total value of the relief package announced by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
• Rs1 million: The compensation for each deceased family.
• Rs500,000: The compensation for families with serious injuries.
• Rs200,000: The compensation for families with minor injuries.
• Rs500,000: The amount for households that lost their homes for reconstruction.

Sources:

• "Pakistan, he noted, remains among the top ten most climate-vulnerable nations globally, despite its negligible contribution to greenhouse gas emissions." [1]
• "Addressing the region's chronic power shortages, especially during the long winters, Shehbaz Sharif said the federal government will fund and oversee a 100-megawatt solar power project, expected to be completed within a year." [1]
• "To address the longer-term development and governance challenges of the region, a special federal committee has been formed, comprising Minister for Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan Affairs Engineer Amir Muqam and Advisor Rana Sanaullah." [1]
• "The prime minister also met with Chief Minister Gilgit-Baltistan Gulbar Khan and discussed key local issues, including the aftermath of recent rains and floods." [1]

[1] Dawn News, "PM directs MNAs to visit affected areas, monitor relief work", September 13, 2022.