QUETTA: The Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party has urged the government to declare Qilla Saifullah a calamity-hit district after repeated hailstorms caused widespread destruction to orchards, standing crops and agricultural land.
In a press release issued from the party’s central secretariat on Saturday, it said several districts of southern Pashtunkhwa were badly affected by severe hailstorms during March and April, while Qilla Saifullah was hit for the third time by a devastating spell of hail, causing losses worth billions of rupees to growers.
The statement said farmers work throughout the year to protect their orchards and crops, but the recent hailstorm had completely destroyed the ready wheat crop, while orchards also suffered massive damage and many trees were uprooted.
It said an immediate assessment of losses in Qilla Saifullah, as well as in different areas and tehsils of Loralai and Zhob, was necessary so that timely assistance could be provided to affected farmers.
The party demanded that survey teams be appointed without delay to assess the damages and ensure generous compensation for growers.
It also appealed to donor agencies in Pakistan and abroad to extend financial support to help farmers recover from the losses.
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PkMAP urges govt to declare Qilla Saifullah calamity-hit after hailstorm losses.
