PML-N, PPP continue to spar over helping flood victims

KARACHI/LAHORE: The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) continue to trade barbs over the rehabilitation of flood-hit victims in Punjab.

Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon said that PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto did not ask any provincial government but the federal government to seek international aid for flood rehabilitation.

“Whenever Bilawal praises the prime minister, the Punjab government raises objections,” he said speaking at a press conference in Karachi.

The senior Sindh minister said it was essential to provide relief to farmers in the current situation, adding that the provincial government was supporting wheat growers.

He said that the Sindh government had appealed to the federal government to take up the issue with the IMF. “Bilawal Bhutto asked the federation, not the provinces, to appeal for external assistance for flood-affected people,” Memon said.

He said that the Sindh government would spend over Rs55 billion on a farmers’ package covering 404,480 growers. “Bilawal Bhutto’s policy benefits farmers, labourers, and the poor. Its aim is to empower farmers,” he said.

Memon further said that the PPP was the only party that had created a national database of citizens, adding that food security required facilitating farmers.

“Yesterday, Chairman Bilawal Bhutto announced a revolutionary policy — relief for farmers, which is not just for cultivators but for all of Pakistan,” he said.

Rejecting criticism, the Sindh information minister said the PPP was not doing politics over floods. “We stand with our brothers and sisters in Punjab in this difficult time. A programme is being launched to cultivate wheat on 2.2 million acres,” he added.

He also said an online complaint system was being set up, 2.1 million houses were under construction which “the whole world can see,” and the Pink Scooty scheme was still operational.

Punjab responds

Reacting to Memon’s press conference, Punjab Information Minister Azma Bukhari said that the PPP should first address wheat shortage in Sindh before commenting on Punjab’s farmers.

She pointed out that wheat consumption in Punjab is two and a half times greater than in Sindh, yet Punjab has a surplus of 6.63 million metric tons, while Sindh faces a deficit of 3.19 million tons.

Bukhari said that the Punjab government provided Rs55 billion in relief to farmers in 2024 and Rs98 billion in 2025, while the agriculture budget stood at Rs129.8 billion.

She said that farmers had made purchases worth more than Rs60 billion through the “Kisan Bhai Card.”

According to her, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz distributed 9,500 tractors to farmers last year and recently launched a Rs14 billion wheat support programme.

“Before showing concern over Punjab’s wheat and farmers, Sindh should meet its own demand,” she said, stressing that Punjab not only produces enough wheat for itself but also supplies other provinces, while Sindh fails to meet the needs of its own population.

Bukhari alleged that until yesterday, Sharjeel Memon and the PPP were “doing politics over floods,” but if they have stepped back from it, that is a positive sign.

“Floods hit Sindh too — what relief is being given to the victims there? The people of Pakistan should be told,” she said.

She added, “If Punjab is providing relief to flood victims, why does that bother the Sindh government? We have no objection to appeals. Give advice to the federation day and night if you wish.”

Earlier, without naming Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz criticised his remarks over flood relief, saying that Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP)’s Rs10,000 would do little to help flood-hit families.

Earlier, Bilawal strongly criticised the federal government over its response to the recent floods, particularly in South Punjab. He also questioned the government’s reluctance to use the Benazir Income Support Program (BISP) for immediate flood relief, calling it the “only effective mechanism” available at the federal level.