The Punjab government has allocated Rs 30 million for the poor and needy of provincial capital only as Special Ramazan Package to keep fasting and observe holy month with religious fervour and sanctity.
The poor of remaining 34 districts of the province have been deprived of this blessing, as even a single penny was not allocated for the poor and needy people of the remaining districts as Ramazan package.
As many as 50,000 poor families of Lahore district only would take full advantage of this package. The package includes provision of 2.5 kilo vanaspati ghee, 2 kg sugar, 2 kg vermicelli and 10-kg Atta (Flour) to a poor family in holy month.
The Punjab finance department on the desire of the chief minister Punjab has sanctioned and released Rs 30 million as supplementary grant for launching of a Special Ramazan Package for Lahore.
The amount has been transferred in the account of District Co-ordination Officer (DCO) Mian Ijaz. The DCO would identify 50,000 needy and deserving families to whom the kitchen items would be provided to observe sanctity of holy month of Ramazan while taking fasts. It means a poor family would observe Ramazan with Rs 600 to arrange "Sehri" and "Aftari" from public exchequer.
An official of finance department alleged that items of Ramazan package would be distributed among the voters and officer bearers of ruling party on the recommendation of DCO. Lists of poor families have been prepared in the secretariat of Chaudhary's son and it would be provided to DCO for the distribution of package items among the enlisted persons of his constituency, he maintained.
He further said that the package was announced after the report of secret agency that ruling party would lose all 13 NA seats as its vote bank was diminishing day by day. The issuance of package is merely to strengthen the vote bank and get sympathies of poor Lahorites of a specific constituency in the upcoming general elections.
He said the package was announced only for Lahore as the ruling party has the fear that opposition parties particularly PML-N would wash out it as it had no roots in public despite distribution of development funds and jobs in sheer violation of merit. Provision of Rs 30 million is considered a part of election campaign of ruling party, he added.
Another official said the announcement of special package for Lahore alone means that there were no poor in other 34 districts, which are too backward and undeveloped according to official surveys and human rights reports.
An official of district government said the package was "a joke" for the estimated five million poor in the city who are not in the position to run and buy together in sky rocketing inflation days.