Shahbaz Sharif visits flood-hit DG Khan

Talks about rehabilitation, compensation, Khosa’s contribution.

MULTAN: “I will personally monitor the rehabilitation process in the flood-hit areas and not let politics hinder or taint it,” Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif said on Wednesday.

He was talking to the reporters during his visit to a children’s home in a flood relief camp in Dera Ghazi Khan.

Sharing the Punjab government’s plan to stop the hill torrents on permanent grounds in all tribal belt of DG Khan, the chief minister said a comprehensive inquiry will be held into breaches in DG Khan Link Canal.

He announced a Rs500,000 compensation for the families of those who died in the recent floods. He also announced setting up a complaint cell for the flood affected people, which he said he would visit every time he came to the area.

Sharif directed the department concerned to update the list of flood victims for issuance of Watan cards. He said Watan Cards must be distributed after proper scrutiny but without any discrimination.

Talking about the agricultural devastation, he said that the Punjab government had already announced a relief package for farmers which included free of cost seeds, fertilisers and rehabilitation of lands besides compensation for their losses.

Commissioner Tariq Mehmood told the chief minister that health officials had been sent to several rural areas and that the areas were being monitored for dengue mosquito breeding.

Sharif denied differences with the Khosa family.

“We have no differences ...The PML-N is proud to have dedicated members from the Khosa family,” he said.

He praised Dost Muhammad Khosa and other party members for visiting the flood-hit areas and for their assistance in the flood relief activities. He said they would also be available for monitoring relief and rehabilitation work.

Later, Sharif visited Jampur, Dajal and Rojhan and monitored the speed of rehabilitation and relief activities.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 20^th, 2012.