ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has urged the government to immediately provide every flood-affected person with Rs 100,000 in cash assistance by utilising the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) database to help families meet basic needs and purchase fodder for their livestock.
Addressing a joint press conference, PPP Central Information Secretary Nadeem Afzal Chan and senior leader Chaudhry Manzoor warned of worsening flood threats in Punjab’s riverine areas.
Chaudhry Manzoor said rising water levels at Ferozepur Headworks on the Sutlej River could cause large-scale devastation.
“The outflow was 75,000 cusecs on Monday and has increased further on Tuesday. People are stranded along the riverbanks with their livestock and tractors. The government must immediately declare these areas as flood zones,” he said.
He criticised the government’s decision to shut down utility stores, recalling that the announcement was made while he was in his constituency monitoring flood relief.
“We stand with the employees of utility stores. The government has a habit of shutting down institutions first and thinking later,” he remarked, citing the example of Pakistan Steel Mills, where thousands lost jobs and were left unheard.
Manzoor argued that utility stores were needed most during the floods.
“Through these stores, an effective relief operation could have been carried out in flood-hit areas. On the floor of the National Assembly, the government promised not to close down utility stores. Yet, it has reneged on that commitment,” he said.
He further claimed the stores were not running at a loss, accusing the government of spending resources on “publicity pictures” instead of public relief.
Nadeem Afzal Chan alleged that massive corruption in the Ravi Urban Development Authority (RUDA) had been exposed during the floods. He said corruption was initiated under the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government and was now being protected by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).
Chan also said that institutions like the Government Transport Service (GTS) and Utility Stores were founded by Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.
“By shutting down utility stores, you are not only depriving people of relief but also erasing Bhutto’s legacy,” he remarked.
Nadeem Afzal Chan said that, on the instructions of PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, the party has set up relief camps in every district of Punjab.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Comments
Comments are closed for this article.