‘Flood aid flowed to favourites’
A boy whose family became displaced walks with a water bottle on his head, following rains and floods during the monsoon season in Sehwan, Pakistan September 13, 2022. REUTERS/Akhtar Soomro
After floods, the favouritism in the distribution of ration on political grounds dominated the proceedings of Sindh Assembly on Wednesday as opposition MPAs raised concern about discrimination during the and relief activities in various districts of the province.
As the session started with speaker Agha Siraj Durrani in chair, the debate on flood continued for the third consecutive day.
The opposition members alleged that the ruling Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leaders and elected representatives distributed the ration among their own voters ignoring others. “During the last two days of speeches in the session, the provincial ministers are giving an impression as if they have provided ‘roti, kapra aur makaan’ to people in every nook and corner across the province. They are giving impression as all is well and no one is left from getting the government incentives,” said Arif Mustafa Jatoi of Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA) in his speech.
According to Jatoi, each and every data is being exaggerated by the provincial ministers citing the number of tents distributed by them in their areas that surpassed the total number of tents manufactured in the country. “PPP minister and MPAs claim that they have provided 5,000 to 10,000 tents. If it is true then why people, sitting in the open sky, are protesting for the tents and ration,” he said.
He displayed the photos in the house showing some influential people’s animals standing inside the tents. “The innocent people are wrapping themselves with plastic bags while the animals of powerful people are kept in the tents,” he lamented.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 8th, 2022.