Khawaja Zaheer Ahmed - PDMA

destruction; that on 31.7.2010, the Director (Operations),
PDMA, Sindh, acknowledged timely advisory from the
Meteorology department with reassurance that District
Disaster Management Authorities were well positioned to
take appropriate preventive actions; that natural flow of
water is being blocked due to massive encroachments in
most water ways, private zamindara bunds and unplanned
habitation by rising populations etc. On being advised by the
Commission, the Acting DG confirmed additional
departmental requirements to improve its capacity to predict
up to 10 days in advance to minimize or ward off
catastrophes of such a magnitude and that such a proposal
was receiving consideration in the Ministry of Defence.
(ii) While deposing, Mr. Jawed Ali Qureshi Director SUPARCO
made a presentation about the remote sensing satellite
images in general and flood affected areas in particular.
These were taken in daylight and provided a comparative
view of the ground condition of the bunds in 2009 and later
after 2010 high flood season; no images were possible
during cloud cover; in post-breach phase. At least, 26
breaches were recorded in and around Tori Bund area
alone, the biggest being the main Tori breach measuring
2,370 meters; the breaches at Kot-Almo and Daro Canals in
District Thatta were also displayed. The copies of the
Remote Sensing maps for Sindh and Punjab were submitted
for record [Appendix-I]. These enabled the governments to
eliminate claims of losses not suffered.
(iii) Brig. Ajmal Iqbal, Director (Engineering Branch), Pakistan
Army deposed that the Army had the capacity to execute the
breaches as per joint deliberations and the decision of the
notified civilian authorities, under the overall umbrella of the
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