Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Asif made a bizarre statement, asking people to collect floodwaters in containers and observe the floods as “blessings.” He urged people not to drain the waters.
While speaking to news outlet Dunya, Asif said, “People should store floodwaters instead of protesting a flood-like situation.”
The minister can be heard suggesting that the floodwaters could even be stored in a tub. He added that people were blocking roads and protesting over floods.
Asif also pitched for the construction of small dams, stating that they can be built quickly.
A high flood in the Sutlej River has wreaked havoc in Pakistan’s Bahawalnagar district, inundating hundreds of villages and displacing thousands of residents, as per ARY News.
According to details, Chishtian city is facing severe flooding as the Sutlej has swollen to dangerous levels. The strong river currents have triggered rapid erosion, while protective embankments at Motianwala Pattan and Moza Azeem have collapsed.
The breach of the embankments submerged more than 100 villages and destroyed hundreds of houses.
Nearly 10,000 acres of standing crops have been washed away, while key connecting roads between settlements have been swept under water, cutting off access to many localities, as per ARY News.
Thousands of residents have been displaced, appealing for urgent relief.
