MPAs allege unfair flood relief distribution

Raise concerns over exclusion of poor, claim bias in survey process

LAHORE:

Members of both treasury and opposition benches on Friday voiced strong criticism in the Punjab Assembly over alleged irregularities and discrimination in the distribution of government aid to flood-affected citizens across the province.

PML-N lawmaker Khalid Mahmood drew the House's attention to what he termed "unjust conduct" by local authorities, claiming that impoverished families without land ownership documents were being denied relief assistance.

"In my constituency, people who do not own land are being excluded from the financial aid program," he said. "These are poor citizens who have suffered losses but cannot afford to buy land."

Mahmood said local administrations were restricting payments only to registered landowners - a policy he described as "deeply unfair and contrary to the spirit of public welfare."

He urged Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz to ensure that the landless and vulnerable are also included in the compensation process.

Responding to his concerns, Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Mian Mujtaba Shuja-ur-Rehman clarified that the chief minister had already directed authorities to compensate residents of riverine areas by providing both alternate land and financial aid. "It is not true that only landowners will be compensated," he asserted. "Those who lost their homes will receive between Rs500,000 and Rs1 million, while individuals who lost land or livestock will also be paid accordingly."

Rehman further assured the assembly that he would personally consult the relevant departments and provide an update on the issue.

Meanwhile, opposition MPA Rana Shahbaz alleged that the survey process to identify flood-affected families was being manipulated in his constituency.

"Patwaris and tehsildars are favouring certain landlords while excluding others," he claimed, adding that individuals affiliated with PTI and PPP were being deliberately removed from the lists. In response, Minister Rehman acknowledged that the survey in some severely affected regions was still incomplete but assured that "compensation cheques will be issued as soon as the process concludes."

Separately, PML-N legislator Ahmed Iqbal highlighted that Punjab faces multiple recurring crises throughout the year - including heatwaves, floods, heavy rains, and now smog.