PM Sharif announces up to Rs2 million compensation for rain and snowfall-hit Pakistan northwest

PESHAWAR: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced compensation packages of up to Rs2 million for those killed by torrential rains and heavy snowfall in the country’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province on Wednesday, vowing to provide relief to the disaster-affected people. 
At least 40 people were killed and 62 injured last week as heavy rains and snowfall battered several areas of the northwestern province, according to the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA). A report published by the authority on Mar. 3 stated that 345 houses were damaged while 46 had been destroyed due to heavy rains and snowfall.
PM Sharif visited KP’s capital Peshawar on Wednesday, a day after he inspected relief efforts in the southwestern port city of Gwadar, where torrential rains had flooded many parts of the city and destroyed hundreds of homes. 
Sharif met relatives of those who were killed due to rain and snow-related incidents in the province at the Governor’s House in Peshawar. The premier announced Rs2 million ($7,159) for relatives of the deceased and Rs500,000 ($1,790) for the family members of people who had been injured. He distributed some of the cheques to the people at the Governor’s House, vowing to provide compensation to every affected person. 
“Today is the 6th of (March) and by the 11th (March) you will get compensation packages at home for the repairs of your homes destroyed,” Sharif said. 
He said the government would provide Rs700,000 ($2,506) to people whose houses had been destroyed and Rs350,000 for those whose homes were partially damaged. 
Sharif assured the disaster-struck people that the government would provide them immediate relief, adding that he would take strict action against any official found neglecting his duty. 
Meanwhile, KP’s newly elected Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur refused to meet Sharif while he was in the provincial capital due to political differences. 
Gandapur vowed to stand by the disaster-affected people of his province on Tuesday as he announced a compensation package for families of the dead. 
“Under the special directives of Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Ali Amin Gandapur, Rs39 million ($139,619) have been allocated for the families of the deceased due to incidents resulting from rains,” PDMA spokesperson Taimur Ali told Arab News. 
Large swathes of Pakistan were submerged in 2022 due to extremely heavy monsoon rains and melting glaciers, a phenomenon linked to climate change that damaged crops and infrastructure and killed at least 1,700 people and affected over 30 million.
The South Asian country consistently ranks among one of the most adversely affected countries from the effects of climate change.