Balochistan flood victims unable to attain rations due to absence of CNICs

By
Waqas Alam Angaria
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  • Flood victims say administrations asking for their CNICs to receive rations.
  • Many affectees have lost everything in the floods, including CNICs.
  • Toll from torrential rains and flooding in Balochistan has reached 149.


LASBELA: The recent floods in Balochistan trigged by the rains have devastated the homes of thousands of people, especially in the province’s Lasbela District.

However, the flood affectees have accused the administration of treating them in a derogatory fashion during the distribution of rations by asking for original computerised national identity cards (CNICs).

The officials are reportedly seeking the CNICs for verification purposes, but the affectees have stated that they lost everything when their homes were flooded.

“Ration comes for us but they ask for CNICs. We did have some cards but not for everyone. How can a family of 10 survive on one card’s ration?” one of the victims told Geo News.

The victim appealed to the administration to resolve this issue, adding that if they feel they are lying, they can survey their homes to determine the number of people in a household.

“We are standing here for ration. We have not received anything [but] they are pushing us out. We can talk to the tehsildar when we go inside,” another victim told Geo News.

On the other hand, when Geo News reached out to the administration to get their version, they were only able to find empty offices.

So far, the toll from the torrential rains and flooding in Balochistan has reached 149.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has visited the province multiple times since the rains caused havoc on the province. He has said that the government is working day and night to help the affectees. 

Earlier this week, the premier had assured that the rations were being provided to the victims rescued from the flood-affected areas.

PM Shehbaz further maintained that the federal, provincial, and other institutions were engaged in relief efforts, while medical camps were being established to curb viral diseases.