As over 800 die in Pakistan floods, minister gives bizarre advice to 'store water in tubs'

While millions of Pakistanis are reeling under one of the worst flooding in decades, the country's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has asked people to consider the monsoon rains a "blessing" and "store the water in tub."

As per a report by NDTV Asif made the bizarre comments during an interview with Pakistan's Dunya News. "People who are protesting against the flood-like situation should take the flood waters home," he said.

"People should store this water at their homes, in tubs, and containers. We should look at this water in the form of a blessing and hence should store it," he added.

Asif said that instead of letting water go down the drain, it must stored using small dams that can be build quickly.

"Pakistan should build small dams that can be completed quickly, rather than waiting 10-15 years for mega projects. We are letting water go down the drain. We must store it," he said.

A total of 854 deaths have been reported across Pakistan since June 26 till August 3, National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) data showed. The toll includes 130 children and 227 women. The number of injured in rains and flood related incidents is 1,130.

While Punjab has been the worst hit in the recent spell of rains with most deaths over last week, it is the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province that has witnessed maximum deaths this monsoon season.

The NDMA data showed that between June 26 when the monsoon rains started till August 31, there have been 484 deaths across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, followed by 209 in Punjab province, 58 in Sindh, 25 in Baluchistan, 70 in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and eight in the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT).

Meanwhile, Federal Climate Change Minister Dr Musadik Malik told a press conference that around 2 million people have been rescued from flooded areas even as the government’s priority is protecting eight million poor people who have been displaced by flooding across the country.

(With PTI inputs)