PPP and PML-N continued to speak single-spoken language on flood mitigation Thursday. Although PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari asserted that the Benazir Income Support Program (BISP) is a “solar method” to provide relief to people affected by the country’s recent floods, PML-N’s Maryam Nawaz accused his party of “politicization”.
The two parties are alliance partners of the center and have recently debated the means of flooding, with PPP insurance companies not approving the proposal for the use of BISP and PML-N. On Wednesday, after PML-N questioned BISP’s transparency, PPP accused its senior partners of refusing to compensate Punjab affected people in order to show a “responsible attitude”.
BISP is Pakistan’s national security justice program that provides cash assistance to poor and vulnerable families, especially those targeting women.
“Nationwide, the agricultural sector is already struggling, but after the flood, it has been severely affected. Our national food security may also be at risk.
“I call on the federal government to declare a climate emergency and an agricultural emergency emergency to address the losses caused by floods,” he said, adding that he also called for the power bills of farmers in affected areas.
He praised the federal government and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for following his request.
Speaking of Sindh government, he said he had spoken with Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah about ways to support small farmers and landowners.
He said that through the Benazir Hari card, the provincial government will support small farmers owned between one and 25 countries. He added that the Sindh government will also provide fertilizer for farmers.
“Our efforts are to support wheat crops so that we do not need to import wheat,” he said.
“If the provincial and federal governments act in a timely manner, we can not only mitigate the losses of this flood, but also avoid a large amount of import bills. It is best to use our resources to our own farmers and agriculture departments so that the economy of Pakistan can reach where we export, where we export, where we export, where we export, where we export, where we export, where we export, we can export our export, where we can export our economy to our exports.”
Double Laval stressed that the impact of the flood is underway. He said that although it affected the suffering areas of Sindh, “the scale of losses in Punjab, especially the scale of losses in Punjab, is historic.”
“While it’s very important to think about what you want to do, the most important thing is what you’re doing today,” he said. So if you use BISP to reach areas that are still underwater, the support provided by the provincial government will be amplified.
“Natural disasters are not the responsibility of any province; worldwide, the federal government plays a leading role. It is also the responsibility of the federal government to remedy the affected people through BISP,” he said.
He said that while Punjab suffered the most damage, it should not be forgotten that Gilgit Baltonstein and Khyber Pakhtukhwa also suffered.
“BISP is the only way the federal government can provide relief to affected people immediately. It’s the standard practice,” he said.
“If we don’t do this today, I have to ask: South Punjabi people are facing such devastating floods, their houses are destroyed, and they live on the road, what is their fault?” he said, calling on the federal government to “review their policies.”
He further said the federal government should seek international help from the very beginning.
He said: “When the flood begins, the federal government should not help any provincial level. It should issue an international appearance immediately. I won’t criticize (…), but if you spend Rs 100 you might spend Rs 200; if you are helping 100 people you can help 200 people,” he said. ”
“By talking to the international community, seeking a review of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) restrictions, if you have a global appeal as timely as before, then your hands will be strong. This time should have happened, and it hasn’t happened.”
“PPP political flood”
“Later, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif accused the PPP of “politicizing” the flood.
“PPP is our allies and I respect them, but unfortunately they have been politicizing the floods in Punjab,” CM said.
“I don’t know their agenda, but I want to tell (President) Asif Zardari and (PPP Chairman) Bilawal… Please help your party’s spokesperson understand that if Gob bans it, the Sindh capital in Punjab will persevere.”
The Chief Minister then turned his attention to the BISP.
“Now, people are talking about distributing aid through BISP. I don’t want to criticize them…but they only give Rs 10,000 (under this plan). On the other hand, I will give them (flood victims) Rs 1 million.”
Maryam called the relief of the flood “a very simple solution” through BISP, and then went on to say, “What will the effect of people who lose their homes, cattle and crops at Rs 10,000?”
She said she wanted to rebuild the damaged home and compensate for the destroyed crops, but Bisp “provides enough enough”.
“I am Nawaz Sharif’s daughter and I will not start aid,” she said.
“How long will Pakistan continue to build international aid? The NFC (National Finance Committee) provides billions of dollars to provinces. What is the money used?” she said.
