Ahlul Bayt News Agency ; LAHORE - Iranian Consul General Ali Nikan called on Punjab Chief Minister Muham-mad Shahbaz Sharif at the Chief Minister's Secretariat here on Tuesday, and discussed relief activities for the flood-hit people.
The CM said the country was facing worst flood of its history, which had caused large-scale devastation. He said floods had wiped out several villages and damaged crops worth billions of rupees. He said the Punjab government was implementing a comprehensive programme for the relief and rehabilitation of flood affectees and all out resources were being utilised for this purpose. He further said affected people were returning to their homes as water had receded and the Punjab government had allowed them to take tents with them so that they could be used till reconstruction of their houses. He said the Punjab government would provide Rs 10 billion for this purpose from its budget. He said the farmers having up to 25 acres of land in the affected areas would be provided free seed and fertilizer.
Shahbaz Sharif said Iran was a brotherly Muslim country, which had always supported Pakistan in testing times. He thanked the Iranian leadership, government and its people for taking an active part in the relief activities, and for increasing aid from $10 million to $100m and requested the Iranian Consul General to convey his feelings to the Iranian leadership.
Ali Nikan said the Iranian government and its people stand by the calamity stricken people of Pakistan and so far five Iranian planes carrying relief goods have arrived in Pakistan, while the Iranian government had increased relief assistance from $10m to $100m. He said the Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Khamenei had also appealed to the Iranian people and Muslim countries to help Pakistan. He informed that Iran would set up tent villages having capacity of 200 families in the flood affected areas of Punjab. He said the mobile hospitals would also be functioning in tent villages and the Iranian medical teams would soon reach Pakistan. He said other facilities would also be provided to affectees in the tent villages.
He said the Punjab government would identify the areas for setting up tent villages and after they were established, their management would be handed over to the Punjab government. 'Iran will also cooperate in improving agriculture sector and providing facilities to farmers in the affected areas,' he added.
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