In order to ensure political presence, Pakistan People's Party (PPP) has decided to launch 1000 People's Razakar (volunteers) in flood-affected areas, said party sources. According to these circles, formal decision to this effect is being taken in a meeting being organised in the city on Sunday (today) afternoon.
All party district presidents, general secretaries and information secretaries besides the ticket holders both for National and Provincial assembly are invited to the meeting. Governor Punjab Salman Taseer would preside over the meeting added the sources. The party sources said 1000 party workers would be mobilised in districts adjacent to the flood-affected districts for relief work.
It is worth noting that Pakistan People's Party (PPP) top leadership is being criticised for its indifferent attitude towards flood wreckage. Also, a general perception persists that donors are not trusting over the government relief funds and preferring to take relief goods to the victims personally.
This situation has perturbed the PPP, as a party and its think tanks have become active to come up with innovative ideas. People's Razakar is the beginning this damage control exercise in Punjab. However, the political circles have doubted over the success of the idea in the presence of district administration control by the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N). Pakistan has witnessed unprecedented flood, leaving 1500 as dead and 20 million as displaced besides heavy infrastructural loss to flood-affected areas. UN secretary general Ban Ki Moon and US Senator John Kerry have paid special visits to flood hit areas in Pakistan and mobilising world community for cash donations.