Protests continue over non-issuance of Watan Cards

Residents complain that after three months they had still not been provided with any food assistance,Watan Cards.

WILHAR/MACKHA: Dhundi Chak 173 NP residents staged a protest against the non-issuance of Watan Cards. They complained that despite the lapse of three months they had not been provided with any food assistance or Watan Cards.

The protestors – Mehr Din, Muhamad Jevan, Shahnawaz, Rab Nawaz, Ghulam Murtaza, Muhammad Qabil, Muhammad Habib, Liaqat Ali, Barkat Ali, Ali Nawaz, Muhammad Aslam, Sabir, Haq Nawaz, Muhammad Esa, and Mehmood Ahmed – said a survey was conducted in their area. They alleged that the influential people of the area were not letting any aid reach them. The protestors said that they were in dire need of tents and ration ahead of the winter season. They called upon the Punjab chief minister, the prime minister and the president to provide them with food assistance.

Hundreds of farmers on Thursday protested against the government for suspending fertiliser and seed supply to the flood-affected villages of Machka union council.

They accused the deputy district officer (Revenue) and the tehsildar of ordering the suspension of supply.

Machka is the Punjab’s last union council. Its 12 villages were affected by the recent floods. Among them were Machka and Sutwerki where cotton and sugarcane crops were destroyed.

The farmers said that their houses and crops had already been destroyed in the flood and that they were not in a position to purchase fertiliser or the seeds.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 11^th, 2010.