LAHORE: The PML-N fears if all the political parties fail to help out the flood victims, Pakistan will be at the brink of disaster in the coming few years.

Speaking at a press conference here on Saturday, PML-N Punjab secretary general and PM’s assistant Sardar Awais Leghari said there was no wheat production in Sindh and it was likely that people of the flood-hit areas might lose their lives because of starvation. He said two districts of south Punjab had been destroyed completely while over 100,000 houses in DG Khan and Rajanpur districts had been wiped out by the flood.

Mr Leghari drew the attention of the government towards the challenge of provision of aid to the flood victims.

“A number of non-affected persons have reached to the flood-hit areas, making it difficult for the government and other bodies to give aid to the deserving ones,” he said and chided the Punjab government for not playing its role in this regard.

There was need to give relief to the farmers, he stressed.

Leghari lamented that Chief Minister Parvez Elahi visited the south Punjab during flood only for a few hours. He also criticised PTI chairman Imran Khan for holding rallies during the flood.

“The PTI is demanding fresh election while hospitals and schools have been washed by the flood in many districts. Where will the election will be held?” he asked.

The PML-N leader further said it’s the time that everyone should think of Pakistan. “The PMLN-led government has taken all decisions for Pakistan and never cared about its politics,” he added.

In a separate presser here PM’s assistant Attaullah Tarar also criticised PTI chief Imran Khan for holding public meetings during the flood. Saying that a rally cost from Rs200m to Rs250m, he chided Imran for having enough time for addressing rallies but not going to flood-hit areas.

Mr Tarar said the report by International Monetary Fund (IMF) was a charge-sheet against Imran.

PPP Punjab parliamentary leader Hasan Murtaza, in a statement, questioned Imran Khan’s claim to have collected Rs5bn for flood affectees in a telethon. He said this claim was not realistic.

Published in Dawn, September 4th, 2022