Punjab governor wants flood-affected districts declared calamity-hit areas

Punjab Governor Sardar Salim Haider Khan has written a letter to Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz in which he has demanded that flood-affected districts Chakwal, Jhelum and Hafizabad be declared calamity-hit areas, reported 24NewsHD TV channel on Saturday.  

In the letter, he has demanded that steps be taken immediately to compensate the locals for the losses they suffered due to floods.

“Routine life in these areas has been badly disrupted as roads and bridges have been washed away, and ordinary people have been rendered homeless. They have also lost their cattle and belongings,” he has said. 

PML-N hits back

Responding to an open letter penned down by Punjab Governor Sardar Saleem Haider Khan to Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, Punjab Information Minister Azma Bukhari on Saturday reminded him that he did not need to write a letter since it was against his constitutional role. 

“I have to remind you of your role time and again. But every time you make a mistake,” she said, adding, “For your information, the Punjab government has already initiated relief and rescue activities in the flood-affected areas, and the situation is well under control.”

If you really wanted good governance, Azma added, then you better write such letters to your own political party and your party’s government in Sindh. “We don’t need your advice or suggestions on how to run governments.”

The minister went on to say that on the orders of CM Maryam, all concerned departments were busy serving the flood victims. “When Chakwal received record-breaking rain early in the month, the chief minister visited the city on the very next day and met with the locals to assess the damage done to their properties,” she said, adding, “The people of Punjab have given their mandate to CM Maryam. This is my suggestion to you to visit different places just for the sake of photo sessions.”

Reporter: Hassan Ali