ISLAMABAD, July 13 (APP):National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has distributed 30 tons of flour bags among the flood hit people of Ursoon Village and Nagar Valley in Chitral district.

According to the latest NDMA figures, as many as 21 persons had died, four injured and eight were still missing in Chitral’s flash floods. Total 55 houses were damaged, 20 fully and 35 partially.

District Administration and army troops are busy in relief and rescue operation.The provincial government (PDMA KP) is managing the situation.

Chairman NDMA, Major General Asghar Nawaz visited Chitral to review the progress on relief and rehabilitation work in flood affected areas of the district.

He also held meetings with the officers of the local administration and provincial agencies.

The NDMA has established National Emergency Operations Center (NEOC). Any flood hit person can contact UAN: 111-157-157, 051-920503 for help.

ISLAMABAD, Jul 13 (APP): Minister for Water and Power Khawaja Muhammad Asif Wednesday directed the concerned departments to remain vigilant throughout the flood season and further improve the already made preparations.

Chairing a meeting of Federal Flood Commission, he instructed Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) to improve weather forecast to give ample time to deal with any emergency situation.

The meeting reviewed arrangements made by provinces and
Federal Agencies for the Monsoon Season 2016.

The meeting was briefed regarding preemptive measures taken to minimize effects of flood damages in the event of occurrence of floods, said a press release.

The preparedness of National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) Provincial Disaster Management Authorities (PDMAs) were also discussed in detail with regard to relief and rescue preparations.

The Pakistan Army informed that they were ready and vigilant for rescue operations in case there were floods.

The Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) of Mangla and Tarbela Dam were also presented to inform all stakeholders about their operation during the flood season.

The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) presented the forecast for 2016 Monsoon Season.

In view of forecast of rains and expected urban flooding,
provinces were asked to be vigilant and ready.

Secondly, encroachments restricting free flow of rivers which may result in floods were discussed and relevant authorities were asked to remove these bottlenecks.

Additionally, desilting and removal of encroachments of
Nullahs passing through urban areas including Rawalpindi, Multan, Sialkot, Lahore and Faisalabad was stressed.

The flood plain maps, prepared by consultants NESPAK have
already been distributed to the Provinces wherein the level and extent of inundation are clearly marked with respect to various scenarios of water flows in rivers.

It was stressed that now the onus lied with provincial and
Federal Agencies to cope with any flood situation arising during the 2016 Monsoon Season.

ISLAMABAD, Jul 13 (APP): Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) would face a great challenge to prove baseless charges they have levelled against the Prime Minister after filing reference with the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

Commenting on this move of PPP and PTI, senior politicians and lawyers on Wednesday predicted that PTI and PPP would fail to prove any charge against the Prime Minister in ECP.

“This was not for the first time that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was facing a conspiracy against his government which was to stop way of transparent politicians to run the government,” Minister for National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination Saira Afzal Tarar said while talking to APP.

She said corrupt politicians have adopted a practice to defame genuine and transparent politicians without having solid evidences. This wrong practice should be stopped now, she added.

She said that both parties now had to face a disheartening situation as the country’s people know better they would find nothing against the prime minister.

The minister said with the submission of references, they actually tried to put pressure on the present government to take political advantage, but they had to produce documents to back up their claims.

She said Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had firm believe in transparency and for that he had taken several measures for complete elimination of corruption from the country. “This was the main reason behind hatching many conspiracies of corrupt elements against him.”

Senior politician, lawyer and central leader of PML-N, Syed Zafar Ali Shah said that such type of references could not be submitted directly with the ECP as according to law, reference only could be sent to the Speaker National Assembly or Chairman Senate, who could further move that reference to the ECP.

Commenting on PPP’s reference in which it was claimed that the Prime Minister was not ‘sadiq and amin’ anymore and that he was not eligible to hold a seat in the National Assembly on hiding assets of various family members, Syed Zafar Ali Shah said that the Prime Minister did not hide anything and now PPP had to prove its claim.

He said that the submission of reference by PPP and PTI clearly showed that they had abandoned once and for all.

They would find nothing and fail to give any evidence to support their references.

He said that it was high time that mainstream political parties should play their due role in development of the country rather than creating hurdles in smooth run of the affairs of the government just for petty gains.

He said that the people understood all such tactics and they just wanted development in the country and they did not support any conspiracy against the political government or democratic system.

Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Sheikh Aftab Ahmad said that PML-N and its leadership had transparent record and that those who filed reference would face defeat as they could not provide evidence in support of their reference.

He said that morally it was not an appropriate time to file
reference against such a person who was in the United Kingdom for a heart surgery.

This unethical practice of opposition proves that they only wanted to destabilize the country and create way for fulfillment of their desire of looting the country.

He said that PML-N leadership always faced hardships but had never compromised on principles.

PML-N member National Assembly Mian Abdul Manan said that some elements did not want economic stability in the country as they had started hatching conspiracies against democracy.

He said that the Panama papers leak matter was based on just media news which was being propagated at the social media while there was no mention of name of the Prime Minister in the Panama papers.

ISLAMABAD, July 13 (APP): The Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing is in agreement with 101 Friends of China to establish its state-of-the-art, well-equipped Chapter in Lahore where a certain number of needy patients would be
treated free of cost.

Zahid Malik, Chairman 101 FoC said, during his 3-months long stay in the said hospital where he was still undergoing his cancer treatment and during his one of the interactions with the President of the hospital, Mr He Czech,floated the idea of opening a cancer hospital in the capital of the thickly-populated Punjab as “it would be a source of permanent positive projection of China in Pakistan”.

Mr Malik, while addressing the Islamabad-based Senior Members of the Supreme Central Committee of 101 FoC here, informed the gathering that afterwards he rang up Shahbaz Sharif, Chief Minister of Punjab and informed that he had taken the liberty of offering a plot on behalf of the Chief Minister, free of cost, to the Chinese Government in case such a hospital was established to which the Chief Minister who is always receptive to any development and welfare-oriented good ideas, responded positively.

Mr Malik said now 101 FoC would formally take up the proposal to be mooted through the Chinese Embassy in Islamabad.

ISLAMABAD, July 13 (APP): Pakistan will raise the Kashmir issue and Indian atrocities against innocent Kashmiris at all international forums, including the upcoming session of United Nations General Assembly (UNGA),  Foreign Office Spokesman Nafees Zakria said on Wednesday.

“We are effectively dealing with this issue. We have briefed envoys from the European Union and OIC member countries, and shall also raise it  at the upcoming UN General Assembly session,” he said during discussion at  a private news channel.

He said till the time that the UNGA session was convened this issue would be raised at all other relevant forums and instructions had been issued to Pakistani envoys abroad to keep monitoring the situation and update the host governments and the human rights organizations over
there.

The spokesman expressed deep concern on the killing of innocent  people in the occupied Kashmir, saying the government moved on this issue effectively and briefed envoys of different countries in Pakistan on the recent happenings.”Our stance on the Kashmir issue is very clear
and principled that it should be resolved in line with the resolutions  of the UN Security Council.”

He said the UN Security Council resolutions should be implemented  as early as possible and “we have been reminding this to the UN Secretary General and President.”

“We continuously keep them updated on the Indian atrocities in the occupied Kashmir and remind them of non implementation of the UNSC resolutions.”

Answering a question about seeking help from the recently formed  Saudi-led alliance, he said it was at very initial stage and things  would take time to shape up. However, a strong resolution was adopted at  the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) summit in Istanbul and the session of Contact Group on Kashmir was also held at the summit.