950804

Nawaz to start tour

of NWFP flood hit areas

ISLAMABAD: The PML (N) President, Muhammad Nawaz Sharif is beginning a five-day visit of flood affected areas in the NWFP from Saturday.

Briefing the newsmen at Media Centre, Information Secretary of PML (N) Mushahid Hussain informed that as a part of his initiative to personally reach out the people to flood-affected victims will visit Swat, Mansehra, Besham and Naran.

He strongly deplored the incompetence of the government which has been reflected by official inaction in the recent floods.

He said that Muhammad Nawaz Sharif conducted a five-day whirlwind tour of interior Sindh and flood-affected areas in Multan and Dera Ghazi Khan and also distributed cash assistance to the people.

Mushahid said that during five-day visit, it was observed that the government any functionary was not working in flood affected areas and it was felt that PML (N) has been operating virtually like an alternate government during these floods, running relief camps through local party leaders and workers and providing financial and other help.

However, he said, "the PML (N) wishes to laud the relief role of army Jawans and officers who are doing relief work in different areas".

Mushahid stated that it was observed that neither any compensation for loss of life and property nor any assistance in terms of food and medicines are being provided by the government in a systematic manner.

Commenting on the visit of Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto to flood-affected areas, he said, "the prime minister and the Sindh Chief Minister only made flying visits for public relations purposes, and these visits, one by the prime minister and another by the chief minister, were only for the purpose of an aerial view." Instead of going to Siachin, she should have to conduct a detailed visit of flood-affected areas.

He informed that Nawaz Sharif has instructed the party's provincial chiefs, MNAs, MPAs, local office-bearers and workers to set up relief camps wherever the floods have damaged lives and property, distribute assistance through relief supplies and inform the PML (N) president or the Central Secretariat regarding such steps and expose the maladministration, apathy and corruption at national, provincial or local level.-PPI