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Utility stores outlets to be set up in 110 Gilgit-Baltistan UCs

admin — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 22:27:55 +0000

By Muhammad Ali Malik

ISLAMABAD: State Minister for Industries and Production Dr. Ayatullah Durrani has said that Utility Store outlets network would be opened in 110 union councils across Gilgit-Baltistan.
He was talking to Chief Minister Gilgit-Baltistan Syed Mehdi Shah who called on him here on Thursday. Managing Director Utility Stores Corporation (USC) Muhammad Arif Khan was also present during the meeting.
Ayatullah Durrani said that a ware house of USC would be established in Gilgit which would facilitate for supplying all items to utility stores outlets across six districts of GB.
He said that the decision was aimed at providing food and other daily use items to poor masses of GB. Provision of subsidized food items to people of GB would be assured at any cost, he stressed.
The State Minister said that sitting democratic government was keen to resolve the hardships of masses especially people residing in far flung areas of the country.
Speaking on the occasion CM GB Syed Mehdi Shah lauded the services of PPP government for paying special attention to facilitate people of GB with basic rights.
He thanked the Minister for announcing USC outlets in 110 UCs of GB and hope that sitting PPP government would continue its commitment for elevating the grievances of people of Northern Areas.

Source : DM

Save Pakistan from the catastrophe

admin — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 22:20:52 +0000

By Fazal Amin Baig

The year 2010 witnessed a natural disaster, which did not indicate a good omen to the people of Pakistan, particularly to the dwellers of the Indus River and Gilgit-Baltistan, resulting in result of a dangerous battle between the nature and the humans. January 4, 2010 caused disaster at considerable scale when a heavy landslide in Central Hunza ruined the Ghareyat village (these days called as Atabad), blocked the Hunza River and cut off the Karakoram Highway for more than 1½ km. This catastrophe of the first phase took the lives of 19 people of Ghareyat, damaged 43 houses completely and displaced more than 1,500 people who now stay in the camps in Karimabad in Central Hunza.

Soon after the blockage of the Hunza River, the second phase of natural catastrophe started when the river began transforming into a natural lake in the upstream called Gojal valley — an international borders’ magistracy (spanning on more than 10,000 sq km) connecting Pakistan with China and Afghanistan.

This phenomenon takes us back to when in 1858 the Hunza River blocked almost at the same place due to the landslide. A natural dam had emerged, submerging the upstream settlements such as half of Gulmit (the winter capital of the former principality), a significant portion of Ghulkin, Sisuni (now named as Hussani) and Passu while Shishkat and Ayeenabad were pasturages of Gulmit and not settled at that time.

The lake is lengthened to more than 40km and touched on a place called Sarmushk in Khyber (after crossing the Shimshal river and Batura glacier’s giant stream); while the width of the lake submerged the settlement of Gulmit up to the still-existing Shogirdi-e Khun, a house in Dalgiram in which the lake water started spilling over the threshold and stopped after the monstrous lake’s natural outburst. At that time there was no human power to face the challenge which we witness comparatively these days — equipped with the variety of technologies. The lake outburst of 1858 thus destroyed the settlements along the basins of Hunza and Indus Rivers. After reaching Attock, the giant storm sent a reverse wave in the Kabul River beyond Nawshira. Prof Dr. Kenneth Hewitt, a prominent Canadian professor Emeritus of Geography in Waterloo University reflects:

“The 1858 flood wave was still massive at Attock. In fact it sent a reverse wave up the Kabul River about 50km. Reports after 1858 suggest the flood wave reached 10-20m above high summer flows along the Gilgit and Indus, and caused erosion of river terraces ‘100s of feet’ back from the channel.”

Taking into account the historical evidences, the current landslide lake on Hunza River reminds us of the historical lake’s landscape. This has occurred beside the previous site and blocked the Hunza River. This time, the Karakoram Highway and two human settlements — Ayeenabad and Shishkat — reside on the lower portion of the previous lake site. The natural lake on Hunza River started devouring a significant part of these villages. By now, the lake has submerged almost 10 houses of Ayeenabad, more than 1500 kanals of land, thousands of domesticated plants, more or less 10km of the Karakoram Highway, and in coming days the longest bridge on the KKH known as Gulmit-Shishkat bridge is going to sink. Besides, due to insensitiveness of the related public sector organizations, the local community of the submerging villages, for the sake of meeting their abrupt financial needs, cut more than 8,000 of their domesticated plants which were the natural carbon-sinks. The second phase of the natural catastrophe is heading towards Gulmit (the headquarters of Gojal magistracy, the latter as the only corridor between China and Pakistan) spanning so far as more than 12km. The experts estimate that a significant part of Gulmit would submerge in the natural lake, and may reach the historical touching point.

As soon as the Gulmit-Shishkat bridge sinks, the settlements of Shishakat and Ayeenabad will become lake islands; and this situation would also hold true for Gulmit and Ghulkin settlements when the KKH would submerge near the Seghez-e Kor on the south of Ghulkin-Hussaini glacier.

It is being reported that the lake would reach Kipghar of Passu and would submerge several houses. But, if the upstream movement continued beyond the Kipghar, the lake would certainly cut the KKH before the Batura Inn: the villages of Passu, Khuramabod, Zarabod, Hussain and Borith would be other lake-islands among the glaciers and glacial streams from the air-view. At present, due to the winter season, the glaciers are frozen and there is little water in the Hunza River. From the outset of spring next month, more than 30 glaciers of Gojal will start melting and will fill the lake to its optimum level, which will certainly force the lake to spill soon.

From here onwards, the third and worst phase of natural catastrophe would begin by wiping out and destroying the settlements, humans and other biodiversities along with the basins of Hunza and Indus Rivers besides destruction of the KKH and the bridges, reaching and damaging the Tarbela Dam and possibly reversing the wave of Kabul River at a significant distance as was witnessed historically up to 50km in 1858.

What can be done to avoid such a scenario?

In the current circumstances of the second phase of catastrophe, the community of Gojal through different approaches is crying for help but little is being done about it. The second phase of catastrophe is now heading towards the third phase of worst calamity. It is therefore not just a deadlock for Gojal but also spells doomsday for the entire communities dwelling along the basins of the Hunza and Indus Rivers, even Kabul River.

Interestingly, it seems as if there is no serious action being taken by the federal government and the newly elected members of the Gilgit-Baltistan Legislative Assembly (GBLA). Rather they seem entrapped (after taking oath on December 10, 2009) in lobbying in Islamabad for getting political positions the cabinet. There seems no seriousness among the key leaders in the bureaucracy (local administration), despite the fact that they have been told about such anticipated calamities in the near future. There is no awareness or seriousness among the community of the civil society organizations in Gilgit-Baltistan either. The entire population of their region could get isolated from communications and the development activities, enterprises and so on for a long period if and when the bridges on the KKH are destroyed.

The federal and local governments need to take this monster of the Hunza River as top priority. GBLA should convene its emergency meetings and opt for immediate and concrete steps by consulting all the stakeholders through emergency workshops. The government needs to at least double the number of machines and increase the labor forces. If the FWO has not the required and desired capacity to adequately address the deadlock, it is advisable to get full assistance from the Chinese government. It has become imperative to seek for effective and efficient ways and mechanisms to save Pakistan and its citizens from the upcoming doomsdays in the near future in the third phase of natural disaster.

* The author is an MPhil in Social and Cultural Anthropology; and currently works as a development consultant cum researcher to different organizations/institutions at national and international level.

The year 2010 witnessed a natural disaster, which did not indicate a good omen to the people of Pakistan, particularly to the dwellers of the Indus River and Gilgit-Baltistan, resulting in result of a dangerous battle between the nature and the humans. January 4, 2010 caused disaster at considerable scale when a heavy landslide in Central Hunza ruined the Ghareyat village (these days called as Atabad), blocked the Hunza River and cut off the Karakoram Highway for more than 1½ km. This catastrophe of the first phase took the lives of 19 people of Ghareyat, damaged 43 houses completely and displaced more than 1,500 people who now stay in the camps in Karimabad in Central Hunza. Soon after the blockage of the Hunza River, the second phase of natural catastrophe started when the river began transforming into a natural lake in the upstream called Gojal valley — an international borders’ magistracy (spanning on more than 10,000 sq km) connecting Pakistan with China and Afghanistan. This phenomenon takes us back to when in 1858 the Hunza River blocked almost at the same place due to the landslide. A natural dam had emerged, submerging the upstream settlements such as half of Gulmit (the winter capital of the former principality), a significant portion of Ghulkin, Sisuni (now named as Hussani) and Passu while Shishkat and Ayeenabad were pasturages of Gulmit and not settled at that time. The lake is lengthened to more than 40km and touched on a place called Sarmushk in Khyber (after crossing the Shimshal river and Batura glacier’s giant stream); while the width of the lake submerged the settlement of Gulmit up to the still-existing Shogirdi-e Khun, a house in Dalgiram in which the lake water started spilling over the threshold and stopped after the monstrous lake’s natural outburst. At that time there was no human power to face the challenge which we witness comparatively these days — equipped with the variety of technologies. The lake outburst of 1858 thus destroyed the settlements along the basins of Hunza and Indus Rivers. After reaching Attock, the giant storm sent a reverse wave in the Kabul River beyond Nawshira. Prof Dr. Kenneth Hewitt, a prominent Canadian professor Emeritus of Geography in Waterloo University reflects: “The 1858 flood wave was still massive at Attock. In fact it sent a reverse wave up the Kabul River about 50km. Reports after 1858 suggest the flood wave reached 10-20m above high summer flows along the Gilgit and Indus, and caused erosion of river terraces ‘100s of feet’ back from the channel.” Taking into account the historical evidences, the current landslide lake on Hunza River reminds us of the historical lake’s landscape. This has occurred beside the previous site and blocked the Hunza River. This time, the Karakoram Highway and two human settlements — Ayeenabad and Shishkat — reside on the lower portion of the previous lake site. The natural lake on Hunza River started devouring a significant part of these villages. By now, the lake has submerged almost 10 houses of Ayeenabad, more than 1500 kanals of land, thousands of domesticated plants, more or less 10km of the Karakoram Highway, and in coming days the longest bridge on the KKH known as Gulmit-Shishkat bridge is going to sink. Besides, due to insensitiveness of the related public sector organizations, the local community of the submerging villages, for the sake of meeting their abrupt financial needs, cut more than 8,000 of their domesticated plants which were the natural carbon-sinks. The second phase of the natural catastrophe is heading towards Gulmit (the headquarters of Gojal magistracy, the latter as the only corridor between China and Pakistan) spanning so far as more than 12km. The experts estimate that a significant part of Gulmit would submerge in the natural lake, and may reach the historical touching point. As soon as the Gulmit-Shishkat bridge sinks, the settlements of Shishakat and Ayeenabad will become lake islands; and this situation would also hold true for Gulmit and Ghulkin settlements when the KKH would submerge near the Seghez-e Kor on the south of Ghulkin-Hussaini glacier. It is being reported that the lake would reach Kipghar of Passu and would submerge several houses. But, if the upstream movement continued beyond the Kipghar, the lake would certainly cut the KKH before the Batura Inn: the villages of Passu, Khuramabod, Zarabod, Hussain and Borith would be other lake-islands among the glaciers and glacial streams from the air-view. At present, due to the winter season, the glaciers are frozen and there is little water in the Hunza River. From the outset of spring next month, more than 30 glaciers of Gojal will start melting and will fill the lake to its optimum level, which will certainly force the lake to spill soon. From here onwards, the third and worst phase of natural catastrophe would begin by wiping out and destroying the settlements, humans and other biodiversities along with the basins of Hunza and Indus Rivers besides destruction of the KKH and the bridges, reaching and damaging the Tarbela Dam and possibly reversing the wave of Kabul River at a significant distance as was witnessed historically up to 50km in 1858. What can be done to avoid such a scenario? In the current circumstances of the second phase of catastrophe, the community of Gojal through different approaches is crying for help but little is being done about it. The second phase of catastrophe is now heading towards the third phase of worst calamity. It is therefore not just a deadlock for Gojal but also spells doomsday for the entire communities dwelling along the basins of the Hunza and Indus Rivers, even Kabul River. Interestingly, it seems as if there is no serious action being taken by the federal government and the newly elected members of the Gilgit-Baltistan Legislative Assembly (GBLA). Rather they seem entrapped (after taking oath on December 10, 2009) in lobbying in Islamabad for getting political positions the cabinet. There seems no seriousness among the key leaders in the bureaucracy (local administration), despite the fact that they have been told about such anticipated calamities in the near future. There is no awareness or seriousness among the community of the civil society organizations in Gilgit-Baltistan either. The entire population of their region could get isolated from communications and the development activities, enterprises and so on for a long period if and when the bridges on the KKH are destroyed. The federal and local governments need to take this monster of the Hunza River as top priority. GBLA should convene its emergency meetings and opt for immediate and concrete steps by consulting all the stakeholders through emergency workshops. The government needs to at least double the number of machines and increase the labor forces. If the FWO has not the required and desired capacity to adequately address the deadlock, it is advisable to get full assistance from the Chinese government. It has become imperative to seek for effective and efficient ways and mechanisms to save Pakistan and its citizens from the upcoming doomsdays in the near future in the third phase of natural disaster.

* The author is an MPhil in Social and Cultural Anthropology; and currently works as a development consultant cum researcher to different organizations/institutions at national and international level.

Source : Dawn News

Water Seepage from Attabad Lake increasing Day By Day

admin — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 22:10:02 +0000

By Manzar Shigri ( Hunzatimes )

Hunza : Water seeping has been 4 Cusecs per second to 9 Cusecs per second during last four days, reaching 9.4 cusec per second.According to the locals of Attabad Hunza the Seepage is of a Natural Spring which is hidden in the debris.While some of the People are saying that the water is seeping from the barrier.If the water is seeping from the lake it indicates a big threat to the villages on the way of the Hunza River.FOCUS Humanitarian trust is making serveys to find out whether the water is seeping from lake or it is coming out from a natural spring under the debris.While Federal Minister for Environment Hameedullah Jan Afridi has directed the concerned authorities to finalise emergency plan for rescue of people of Hunza.

Diamer-Bhasha Dam Compensation issues resolved : Watoo

admin — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 08:02:40 +0000

The government Yesterday claimed to have resolved the issue of Diamer-Bhasha Dam compensation. Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan, Mian Manzoor Ahmad Wattoo will share the details of the settlement package in a press conference today (Thursday). A meeting was held on Wednesday to help resolve the issue. It was chaired by Wattoo, and was attended among others by the federal minister for labour and manpower, the Gilgit-Baltistan chief minister, the Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan secretary, the water and power secretary, the chief secretary and the Water and Power Development Authority chairman.

Hameedullah Jan Afridi calls for plan to rescue Hunza people

admin — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 07:55:35 +0000

Federal Minister for Environment Hameedullah Jan Afridi on Wednesday directed the concerned authorities to finalise emergency plan for rescue of people, who are at high risk due to blockade of Hunza River, as a result of large scale landslide.

While chairing a follow up meeting along with Minister for Information and Broadcasting Qamar Zaman Qaira, he asked the concerned officials to find out ways and means to come out of critical situation aroused after Hunza River was blocked by a 2 kilometre wide and 380 feet high avalanche slipped into it at Ataabad on January 04.

Representatives of Wapda, FWO, ERRA, Sparco, experts from other government and civil society organisations, Secretary Ministry of Environment Javed Malik, Additional Secretary Kamran Ali Quershi, DG Environment Javed Ali Khan and other officials of the environment ministry also attended the meeting.

Giving detailed briefing about situation of landslide in Attaabad, Gilgit-Baltistan a representative of FWO highlighted several aspects of the lake with reference of consultations, survey and decisions made by the organisation. He said that FWO has taken various initiatives and entire work would hopefully be completed by end of April.

Representative of Sparco also gave presentation in which he briefed about landslide situation and detailed analysis about the area and informed that the situation of is being monitored on daily basis. The participants of the meeting urged district and local administration to analyse and assess the issue and make all possible safety arrangements. Minister for Information Qamar Zaman Qaira asked FWO to make special arrangements to work day and night so that situation may be controlled well in time. During the meeting it was decided that FWO should continue its work with high spirits and make all possible arrangements to complete the task as soon as possible.

The minister for environment said that the basic aim of the meeting was to develop better understanding among the district government and other related departments to mobilise their activities in this regard.

It is pertinent to mention here that first meeting was held yesterday in which the federal minister was briefed about landslide situation at Attaabad, Gilgit-Baltistan. The participants gave presentations on the occasion and highlighted different aspects of this sensitive issue. The lake level is currently rising at 0.6 m per day. It was observed that about 25,000 populations would be cut off from the downstream communities in case of an outburst. Moreover, if such an event occurs, there is the potential for a large flood wave to travel downstream as far as Terbela Dam. It would greatly endanger the downstream population and could cause substantive damage to infrastructure downstream, and the impact of the flood will pose problems in terms of livelihoods and welfare.

Chief Secretary and Home Secretary of Gilgit-Baltistan informed about details of currently on-going efforts during the meeting. On this occasion, different aspects for the construction of spillways were raised. Likewise, matters related to relocation of affected population, monitoring and alert systems, provision of funds, food, medicines and health care facilities and other emergency arrangements were shared by the participants.

Courtesy : TN

Pakistan Pavilion steals show at Berlin Tourism expo

Nadeem Aman Rumi — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 21:00:22 +0000

ISLAMABAD(APP): Pakistan Pavilion in the International Tourism Exchange (ITB-Berlin 10-14 March 2010) pulled over a great number of German and international visitors to the Pakistan’s enchanting beauties in its rich tourism sector.The world’s largest five-day tourism exhibition was inaugurated at Berlin, Germany, said a fax message received here Wednesday.

Pakistan pavilion was set up on 41 sqm space by PTDC in collaboration with Sarhad Tourism Corporation, Sindh Tourism Development Corporation, Gilgit-Baltistan Tourism Department and Pakistan’s leading tour operators and Pakistan Association of Tour Operators (PATO).

Federal Government’s two-member delegation was led by Atta-ur-Rahman, Federal Minister for Tourism, while Syed Aqil Shah, NWFP Minister for Culture & Tourism and Shazia Jannat Marri, Sindh Minister for Tourism, Rabia Javeri, Secretary Tourism Sindh, Imran Sikandar Baloch, Secretary Tourism Gilgit Baltistan, represented Provincial Governments.

Azam Khan, MD STC and Abdul Wahab Khan, General Manager PTDC, and Yasir Hussain, Deputy Director Tourism, Gilgit Baltistan also represented public sector tourism organizations in addition to the representatives of public and private sector tourism organizations.

Pakistan Pavilion in ITB have been decorated with huge backdrop and banner depicting tourist attractions of Pakistan, which was appreciated by every visitor to the exhibition.

Documentaries on tourist attractions are also being shown alternately on the plazma screen.

The pavilion is decorated with large posters and banners showing Pakistan’s natural beauty, unique architecture and wonderful cultural heritage.

Free brochures, posters, view cards, CDs, DVDs were distributed by PTDC Information Counter among the visitors.

Pakistan Pavilion offered number of gift / giveaways, dry fruits, mehndi, glass bangles collar flag pins, and Pakistan flag pins free of cost.

The main attraction for the visitors were mehndi, bangles and dry fruit.

The Pakistani tour operators remained busy in holding meetings with their German counterparts, trade professionals, tour operators /travel agents and media teams.

Pakistani tour operators exchanged contacts with their counterparts marketed their newly designed tour packages.

Atta-ur-Rahman, Federal Minister for Tourism represented Pakistan at the inaugural ceremony as well as at the tourism seminars on sideline of the exhibition.

HRCP seeks help for Gojal people

Nadeem Aman Rumi — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 03:54:34 +0000

LAHORE : Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) Chairperson Asma Jahangir has asked the government to take notice of the miserable condition of the residents of Attaabad, Gojal Hunza Valley badly hit by landslide on Jan 4.

In a Press conference, Asma Jahangir and Hunza residents demanded of the government to take notice of the calamity hit area and provide relief to the suffering people. HRCP Punjab Vice-Chairman Dr Mehdi Hassan, Convenor Joint Action Committee for Peoples Rights Shahtaj Qazilbash, Nadeem Anthony, Sher Ali, Malika and Hussain Naqi Jahangir were also present on the occasion.

As per information received till January 12, more than 13 dead bodies had been recovered out of total 19 casualties, 9 people injured and 550 persons had been affected while 1652 families displaced from four villages ie, Ghariat Bala, Payeen, Sarat Centre and Salmanabad. One camp has been established near village Altit where 559 IDPs are registered so far.

The Hunza residents said that as a result of landslide and continuous movement of the rock mass, Gojal had been cut off from other parts of Hunza and Gilgit. It would take almost 1-2 months to clear the road. A reservoir had started to develop at the back of the barrier and water inflow is accumulating in the reservoir at a discharge rate of approximately 350 m3/sec (satellite image interpretation).
According to the local council Hunza correspondent water had been rising at a rate of 0.6 feet/hour as noted on January 6.

Attaabad is a remote village situated on the right bank of Hunza River (downstream direction) at a ground distance of almost 20km from the tehsil headquarter, Aliabad in NE direction. The village constitutes about 80 households, two middle schools (one AKES and one Govt middle school) one dispensary where only first aid treatment was available. Attabad landslide incident occurred on January 4, 2010 at 12:15 am, and due to that, the entire river valley had been blocked.

Water has inundated to the low-lying area of Aienabad and Shishkut may submerge if the dam is not breached by discharging water with help of machinery in time. _Daily Times

The lake formed at Hunza river poses threat to tarbela dam

Nadeem Aman Rumi — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 03:41:20 +0000

ISLAMABAD: Breaches in the 15km-long and 60 metre-deep lake that was formed after a landslide in Hunza could wreak havoc all the way down to Tarbela dam.

Fearing a disaster, the environment ministry has called for preparation of an emergency plan to cope with a possible flood which may affect the population and infrastructure along the Hunza/Indus river valley from Attabad to Tarbela.

“Preparations must start immediately,” the ministry said.

The warning was issued by the ministry on Tuesday at a meeting held to review the situation in the aftermath of a massive landslide that hit Attabad in Hunza on Jan 4. It claimed 19 lives and formed a lake that cut off more than 25,000 people living upstream from communities living downstream.

Hunza river is one of the main tributaries feeding the lake whose water level is rising furiously by two feet every day.

An outburst in the lake would throw up a large flood wave that could travel downstream as far as Tarbela Dam, the meeting, presided over by Environment Minister Hameedullah Jan Afridi, was informed.

It will endanger the downstream population and can cause substantive damage to infrastructure and livelihood all the way down to the dam.

Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Secretary Babar Fateh Yaqoob and Home Secretary Mohammad Usman informed the meeting that spillways had been raised and emergency arrangements made to cope with the situation. Measures like relocation of the affected people, monitoring of alert systems and availability of fund, food and medicines were under way, they said.

The meeting called for safety of downstream communities, constant monitoring of the water level in dam, effective communication and evacuation plans and development of an early warning system and a 24-hour monitoring service.

The meeting urged the government to seek assistance and expertise from China to mitigate the threat.

APP adds: The environment minister asked the authorities concerned to prepare a foolproof plan if the lake burst out. “Lives of the people are important for us. We need a comprehensive study and plan for expected damage and rescue efforts,” Mr Afridi said, adding that he would seek support from the Chinese government to release water from Hunza river. The water level in the lake had risen to 213 feet on Tuesday and was rising by two feet daily. The situation will become more dangerous with increased inflow after melting of snow as temperature usually rises by at least four degree Celsius in April.

The meeting was informed that people living up to a height of 50 feet would be vulnerable. Moreover, the increase in water flow in coming months would aggravate the threat if water already accumulated was not released, it was told.

According to the data, the spontaneous outburst would not only render thousands of people homeless but also have a reverse flow impact on Gilgit, Gizer and Skardu rivers like the 1858 floods that had reversed the flow of Kabul river upto 50 kilometre.

The outburst of river would also likely to damage vast area, also threatening lives of more than 15,000 people from Hunza down to Gilgit and more onwards to NWFP upto Tarbela Dam.

As water level in the river had risen to 213 ft by Tuesday and was rising 2 feet daily, the situation will become more dangerous with flow increasing after snow melting as temperature usually rise upto four degree centigrade in April.

The participants of the session were informed that flow in the river is recorded at 64 cusecs in January, 65 in February, 69 in March, 83 in April, 213 in May, 901 in June and 1100 in July.

President seeks report of relief, rehabilitation measures for Atta Abad affectees

Nadeem Rumi — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 19:20:02 +0000

ISLAMABAD(APP): President Asif Ali Zardari on Monday sought a report from Governor Gilgit Baltistan over the relief and rehabilitation measures undertaken for the landslide affectees of Atta Abad in the Hunza valley and steps for the draining of an artificial lake.The massive landslide had hit Hunza District on January 4, that led to the sliding of two villages including Atta Abad into the Hunza River. The landslide wiped-out everything in its path and the debris fell down into the Hunza River, blocking its water flow.

On that occasion, President Asif Ali Zardari, while expressing his deep shock and grief over massive landsliding that caused loss of life and destruction of private property had ordered for immediate measures to bring relief to the affected families.

The President sought a report to update him about the measures taken by Gilgit Baltistan administration and also by the federal government regarding the provision of shelter, food and medical help for the displaced people. He has also asked about the progress on measures taken to drain the artificial lake that was a growing threat to the downstream areas.

International Women’s Day Today

admin — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 08:11:37 +0000

By Sher Afzal Ehsam