Members of the National Assembly on Tuesday expressed dissatisfaction pertaining to the on-going relief activities and distribution of Watan Cards in flood affected areas, demanding of the government to take concrete measures to ensure transparency.
The members from flood affected areas complained that the people of their localities are in hot water due to non-availability of food, medical and tents facilities. They pointed out number of irregularities in distribution of relief goods to the affected people in the provinces including Sindh, Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.
Amir Muqam said that in number of areas no relief goods has been provided hitherto and even electricity could not be restored. He said Rs 20,000 announced for flood affected people by the Prime Minister were also not reached the deserving families, claiming that 90 percent people are still waiting for the assistance being announced by the Prime Minister.
Rasheed Akbar Niwani blamed Nadra for faulty registration mechanism and said that 4000 people in his district Layyah lodged protest against non-availability of compensation. "Nadra has registered those who have not been affected by the flood," he said. Jamshed Dasti complained of ignoring MNAs by the provincial authorities and said that the provincial government is distributing Watan Cards through Patwaris.
Sardar Bahadur Ahmed Khan Sehar proposed formation of special team for registration of flood affectees so that the deserving people could get their right. Ghaus Bakhsh Mehar said the government had failed to release water from the agricultural land that would affect the farmers as well as farming. He also demanded transparent distribution mechanism of relief funds and mentioned that hundreds and thousands of flood affectees are still waiting for compensation.
Nawab Yousaf Talpur said, the BISP is focusing on certain areas neglecting the remaining while the Sindh government is yet to receive funds from the federal government.
Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao sought immediate disbursement of Rs 20,000 grant among the flood-victims of KPK as reconstruction of houses would be difficult in winter. He said Swat, Chitral, Dir and Kohistan have been disconnected from rest of the province and if communication system is not restored, food scarcity would hit the area and may claim human lives.
Minister for Labour Syed Khursheed Ahmed Shah informed the House that revenue department conducted survey of the affected areas and the list is provided to Nadra on its basis people are included in affectees list. He said that if the provincial government would not declare any area as flood affected; it will not be enrolled in the computer. Declaring any area as flood affected is not the job of the federal government and Nadra, but of provincial government," he clarified.
He said that provincial governments notify the areas that are registered on computer and on basis of CNIC, the people are given compensation. It is a transparent mechanism," he said. Speaking on points of order MNAs Marvi Memon, Nawab Abdul Ghani Talpur, Khawaja Sheraz Bushra Gohar and others pointed out various loopholes in distribution mechanism and demanded prompt action to ensure transparency.