ISLAMABAD – Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has approved an allocation ofRs25 billion in aid for flood victims in response to the concerns raised byhis government’s ally Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP).
During a recent meeting with PPP leaders, the premier had pledged to setaside this amount. In a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office, itwas mentioned that the PPP leadership Syed Naveed Qamar, Sherry Rehman,Syed Khurshid Shah, Qamar uz Zaman Kaira, Syed Murad Ali Shah, and NisarKhuro expressed their appreciation for the Prime Minister’s efforts towardspublic welfare in the budget, despite the challenging economic conditions.
However, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari criticized his coalitionpartners and demanded the allocation of funds for flood victims. He statedthat his party would not support the government’s budget, which isscheduled to be passed this month unless the amount was provided. Bilawal,who is also the Foreign Minister in Shehbaz cabinet, voiced his concernsduring a rally held in Swat on Saturday, expressing his dissatisfactionwith the unfulfilled promises in the budget.
From 14 June to October 2022, floods in Pakistan killed 1,739 people, andcaused ₨ 3.2 trillion of damage and ₨ 3.3 trillion of economic losses. Theimmediate causes of the floods were heavier than usual monsoon rains andmelting glaciers that followed a severe heat wave, both of which are linkedto climate change.
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Sindh, which is vital to Pakistan’s economy, has been disproportionatelyaffected by the 2022 floods, which significantly damaged houses, transport,agriculture, irrigation and communication infrastructure. Millions ofpeople remain in need of assistance.
Now the approved amount, expected to be included in the debt-driven budget,will be utilized for the rehabilitation of the flood victims, according toreports in local media.
