Badal calls up counterpart in Pakistan, offers help

CHANDIGARH - Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal Friday called up Shahbaz Sharif, chief minister of Pakistani Punjab, and offered help to flood victims in that country.

The offer was made during a telephone conversation Badal had with Sharif Friday.

An official spokesman said that the conversation between the two leaders lasted about 10 minutes.

Badal inquired about the plight of those affected by the fury of the floods in Pakistan.

Nearly one-fifth of Pakistan, including the Punjab province, has been affected by severe floods in the last one month.

The spokesman added that Badal also informed his Pakistani counterpart about the flood situation in the Indian Punjab and the steps being taken by the government to help the beleaguered people.

“Mian Shabaz Sharif appreciated the gesture of Mr. Badal and said that he was deeply touched by the show of emotional solidarity by our brethren in Indian Punjab. He promised to send details of the specific requirements in the form of aid,” the spokesman added.

The rivers in Indian Punjab are also in spate and several low-lying areas of the state have been submerged in flooding.

The diversion of rivers by Pakistani authorities along the 553-km long international border between India and Pakistan in Punjab has led to flooding in several areas in the border belt in Indian territory.