ISLAMABAD, Aug 24 (APP): Caretaker Minister for Information and Broadcasting Murtaza Solangi on Thursday said the government would hold the general election in accordance with the time-line of the Election Commission of Pakistan.

“The election will be conducted on the date which the Election Commission will announce,” the minister said while talking to the media.

“We stand by the Election Commission’s stance, as we do not have any intention to take its powers back,” the minister maintained.

In accordance with Article 218(3) of the Constitution, he said the caretaker government would provide all-out support to the ECP for holding free, fair and transparent elections.

The ECP was bound to carry out delimitation exercise under Article 51, he said, adding the election watchdog had already issued a plan in that regard.

He said it was clearly stated in the Constitution that the country would be run by the elected representatives of the masses.

Solangi said the caretaker finance minister would present an economic recovery plan in a few days.

He said the elected government would have the economy in better form as the caretaker government committed to economic progress and prosperity.

ISLAMABAD, Aug 24 (APP): The United States has provided flood relief, disaster resilience, and food security assistance of more than $215 million to Pakistan since the beginning of the calamity.

According to a news release, more than $80 million in US humanitarian assistance was given through USAID to provide urgently needed supplies for those most affected, including support for food, nutrition, health, security, safe drinking water, improved sanitation and hygiene, and shelter.

An additional $100 million of recovery and reconstruction funding was announced at the January 9 International Conference on Climate-Resilient Pakistan in Geneva, Switzerland, while $10 million was given as food security assistance to provide urgent supplies to help farmers recover in terms of seeds and fertilizer, and helps repair damaged critical irrigation infrastructure.

“$2 million was given in humanitarian assistance for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) flood response in Pakistan to provide lifesaving resources to Afghan refugees and host communities in Pakistan.”

More than $1.9 million was provided in US Department of Defense funding to help airlift USAID supplies while $3 million for new early recovery, risk reduction, and resilience funding to support Pakistan’s ability to mitigate the impacts of natural disasters such as floods.

An additional $16.4 million in nutrition and food security support, early recovery, resilience, and risk reduction assistance was announced in June 2023 to provide life-saving food and nutrition, water, sanitation, and hygiene assistance to more than 4 million people in flood-affected communities.

“Private American citizens and US companies have donated food, medicine, and other relief supplies, and at least $37 million dollars to help the people of Pakistan in this time of need, ” the press release added.

“US flood relief assistance complements the efforts of the US-Pakistan Green Alliance, which advances cooperation in agriculture, clean energy, and water to support climate resilience, energy transformation, and inclusive economic growth,” it said.