Chairman Amanah Group and a well-known businessman Abid Butt met with Chief Minister Punjab Chaudhry Parvez Elahi at his office on Monday and presented a cheque of Rs70 million for the CM Flood Relief Fund.
The CM admired the philanthropic passion to help flood victims, and said that an effective monitoring mechanism has been developed for maintaining transparency. He said the deserving persons will be given their full rights. He said the installation of special filtration hand pumps was being reviewed to provide clean drinking water in the flood-hit areas.
“The affected people are our brethren and they will not be left alone in this hour of trial. The government is utilizing every resource to help the victims,” he said.
The CM said the chief secretary and political and administrative teams of the Punjab government were fully active in the early rehabilitation of the flood victims.
Meanwhile, former federal minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan called on the chief minister at his office, and appreciated the relief measures.
The CM vowed that the government was fully committed to redressing the flood-related damages and repeated that the affected people would not be left unattended. He noted that flood-affected areas of Rajanpur, DG Khan and Mianwali have been declared calamity-hit and water and land revenue charges have been waived off to facilitate the distressed population. Similarly, a survey was being conducted to assess damages to houses, crops and livestock along with the provision of tents, food hampers and necessary materials in these areas; he added, and continued that the cabinet has also approved Rs4 billion for the rehabilitation of irrigation infrastructure.
Ghulam Sarwar appreciated that the Parvez Elahi-led government was following a comprehensive plan to rehabilitate the affected people.
Meanwhile, Canadian High Commissioner Ms Wendy Gilmour called on Parvez Elahi at his office. She discussed matters of mutual interest and expressed regret over flood-related losses.
The CM welcomed international assistance to flood affected people, and maintained that the flood has caused colossal damages and the government was following a comprehensive strategy to rehabilitate the affected people. “Pakistan and Canada enjoy the best friendly relations while a good number of Pakistanis are also residing there,” he remarked.
However, he said, there is a need to take solid steps to promote trade and economic relations by expanding cooperation in education, health and energy production sectors, he maintained. A proactive approach is needed to promote trade and economic cooperation between Canada and Punjab province and the time has come to take steps for further expanding cooperation in different sectors. In this regard, the exchange of trade delegations would give impetus to bilateral cooperation, concluded the CM.
Wendy Gilmour expressed the desire to promote cooperation between Canada and Punjab in different sectors. Canadian Consular (Commercial) and Senior Trade Commissioner Michael Lazaruk and Chairman Nestle Pakistan Syed Yawar Ali were also present.
Meanwhile, Parvez Elahi sought report from the secretary Specialized Healthcare and Medical Care Department about the fire incident in the surgical unit-III of Jinnah Hospital. He directed to take disciplinary action against those responsible for the negligence by holding a comprehensive inquiry.
Meanwhile, Parvez Elahi paid rich tributes to the martyrs of the Pakistan Armed forces, saying that Defence and Martyrs Day is a unique chapter in the history of Pakistan. In a message, the CM stated that officers and jawans of the Armed Forces thwarted the nefarious designs of the enemy.
“There is no other example in history of such bravery of the Pakistan armed forces who gave a befitting response to the insidious enemy,” he maintained. “The martyrs are still alive in the hearts of the nation,” he commented.
“The armed forces have set countless examples of bravery on every front which will always be remembered,” added Parvez Elahi.
He said the Armed Forces gave a befitting reply to the enemy and the martyrs, who laid down their precious lives for the defence of the homeland, are our pride. “The entire nation expresses complete solidarity with the martyrs and their families and it salutes the ‘Ghazis’ for their courage and bravery,” he added.
