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| India-Pakistan |
| NWFP gets 33 trucks of relief goods from Punjab |
| 2008-09-04 |
| Relief items sent by the Punjab government for people affected by the Bajaur operation were handed over to the NWFP authorities here Tuesday. Punjab Minister for Local Government and Rural Development Dost Muhammad Khosa handed over 33 truckloads of relief items to his counterpart in the NWFP, Bashir Ahmad Bilour and Information Minister Mian Iftikhar Hussain at the office of regional coordination officer (RCO). Former NWFP chief minister Pir Sabir Shah, Senator Iqbal Zafar Jhagra, Punjab Relief Commissioner Rizwanullah Baig, NWFP Relief Commissioner Jamil Amjad, Frontier Secretary Food Hifzur Rehman, RCO Arbab Shahrukh, DCO Sahibzada Anis and other authorities were also present. The relief items included 23 trucks of flour, three trucks of sugar, two trucks of rice, three trucks of mineral water, one truck of pulses and one truck of ghee. Earlier 30 trucks were sent which carried medicines besides food items. The Punjab Relief and Crisis Management Department had dispatched the relief goods from different districts including Lahore, Sheikhupura, Gujranwala, Faisalabad, Gujrat, Rawalpindi, Multan, Attock, Jhelum, Sargodha and Sialkot. Speaking to media on the occasion, Dost Muhammad said keeping in view the miseries of internally displaced persons (IDPs) of Bajaur Agency, the Punjab government decided to contribute as much in the assistance. Under the directives of Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, relief items were collected and transported to help the victims, he added. The Punjab minister said being Pakistanis it was obligatory on all citizens, especially the rich, to come forward and help the needy and affected people in this hour of need. To a question, he said the Punjab government was strong and stable and was facing no threat. Regarding restoration of magistracy system, he said all the four provinces had agreed upon restoration of the old system under the 1973 Constitution. To another query, the Punjab minister said his province had honoured the promises made with the Frontier regarding wheat and flour supply to the NWFP. Assuring more help to the IDPs, Khosa said the federal government should provide all kinds of assistance to the affected people though the provinces would do their best to contribute their share. Bashir Bilour thanked the Punjab government and people for their contribution to the affected people. He said the provincial government was providing every kind of relief to the affected people in camps established at different parts of the province. He said there was no shortage of flour and prices of daily-use commodities would be kept under control during Ramazan. Special teams are conducting raids to check prices and quality of food items at various markets and bazaars, he added. To a query, the ANP leader said 100 per cent of his party votes would go to Asif Zardari in the presidential election. The party has a principled stand and would fulfil its commitment made with the allies, he added. In his chat with the media on the occasion, Iqbal Zafar Jhagra said there were no chances of his party sitting with the Pakistan People's Party in the government. Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz would sit in opposition, but would not try to weaken or topple the government, he said, adding rather legislation in national interests would be supported to strengthen democracy. Jhagra said the PML-N government in the Punjab was strong and stable and every effort would be made to save it in case of any move to topple it. He said the PML-N was campaigning for its candidate in the presidential election and the party members would not only cast their votes in favour of Justice (R) Saeeduzzaman Siddiqi but would also seek votes from other members. |
| Posted by:Fred |