CM sets up relief fund with 1-month salary of PML-N MPs

[Lahore_Real_Estate]

Orders survey of flood-hit areas, appeals to people for donations

Monday, August 02, 2010
By Our Correspondent

LAHORE

CHIEF Minister Mian Shahbaz Sharif has directed the authorities concerned to declare all flood-affected areas as calamity-stricken and waive off agriculture and revenue taxes and water charges there.

He also announced setting up of a special fund for the relief of flood-affectees in which all the members of the cabinet, MNAs and MPAs, belonging to the Pakistan Muslim League-N, would donate their one-month salary whereas officers of BPS-17 and above would donate their two-day salary and officials from BPS-5 to BPS-16 their one-day salary. The government officials from BPS-1 to BPS-4 would be exempt from donation.

The CM was presiding over a meeting held to review the flood situation and relief activities at the Lahore airport before his departure for the visit to the flood-affected areas here on Sunday.

Shahbaz said no effort would be spared for the relief of the flood affectees. He ordered a complete survey of all the flood-affected areas and the affectees would be compensated after assessing the loss of crops and properties in the light of the survey. He said that the catastrophes of flood and rains were a test and the Punjab government would not rest content till rehabilitation of all affectees.

The chief minister said that besides the police, volunteers of the civil defence should also be mobilized, adding that the volunteers should be immediately deployed in the affected areas for the relief of the marooned people. He said that the PML-N workers should devote themselves for the service to the flood affectees in the hour of distress and they should set up relief camps in the affected areas and distribute essential items among the affectees. He urged them to actively take part in the relief activities. The CM said the compensation amount for those who had lost their lives during flood had been increased from Rs 100,000 to Rs 300,000 whereas funds were being released immediately for the rehabilitation of affectees. He issued directions for immediately deployment of cooks working in the rest houses in the affected areas for cooking food for the flood victims and added that provision of clean drinking water to the areas should be ensured wherever it was not available.

The chief minister appealed to the well-to-do people to donate generously for the affectees.

Earlier, Chief Secretary Nasir Mehmood Khosa and Senior Member Board of Revenue Akhlaq Ahmad Tarrar gave a briefing regarding the relief activities and flood situation in the province. The meeting was told that the trucks carrying relief items for the flood affectees were being sent regularly and bottles of clean drinking water were also being sent.

Member National Assembly Pervaiz Malik, Members Provincial Assemblies Ch. Sarfraz Afzal, Khawaja Ahmad Hassan, the chief secretary, senior member Board of Revenue, director general Relief and other senior officers concerned attended the meeting.

Inquires after Hashmi at LGH: Shahbaz Sharif has said that all resources are being utilised for the relief of the flood affectees.

He was talking to the media after inquiring after PML-N leader Javed Hashmi at the Lahore General Hospital, a handout said here on Sunday. The CM said that heavy losses were caused by the floods and a large number of people lost their lives in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhawa. He said that the flood was a natural calamity and we would not sit back till the resettlement of our affected brethren in their homes. He said the army was fully cooperating in the relief activities for the affectees and he was thankful to General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani.

The CM stayed with Mr Hashmi for sometime and asked about the details regarding his health from senior doctors. The chief minister said that by the grace of Allah, Javed Hashmi was recovering fast due to attention and hard work of doctors and he was being shifted to Islamabad.

Speaking on the occasion, PGMI/LGH Principal Prof Dr Tariq Salahuddin said Javed Hashmi was shifted to the LGH from Multan for the treatment of brain haemorrhage on July 20 and five-member doctors’ team was set up for his treatment. He said that on the Punjab governmentís advice, prominent surgeons and physicians visited Mr Hashmi and expressed their satisfaction over his treatment. He said Hashmi was shifted to a private room from the intensive care unit on July 26.

He said there was 3.2 centimeter valium clot of blood Hashmiís brain and half of it was diluted by doctors.

Dr Tariq said that there was no need to send Hashmi aboard for treatment as the Punjab government had provided modern facilities at public hospitals, adding that he was being shifted to PIMS for therapy under observation of the LGH doctors.

Doctors hoped that Javed Hashmi would completely recover and resume his political activities within three weeks.

During Hashmiís treatment, the chief minister and Health secretary were in touch with doctors. A six-member doctorsí team checked Hashmi and expressed satisfaction over his health before discharging him from the hospital.

Talking to the media after Hashmi was discharged, his daughter Moomina Hashmi expressed confidence in Pakistani doctors, saying that her father was quickly recovering due to hard work of doctors and prays of people.