KARACHI/DERA GHAZI KHAN: A political row has emerged over relief measures for flood-affected communities as Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari pressed the federal government to channel assistance through the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP), while Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz dismissed the proposal as inadequate.
Bilawal called on the ruling Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PMLN) government to urgently reconsider its decision not to utilise BISP, arguing that the established programme could swiftly reach vulnerable families struggling in the aftermath of recent floods.
Maryam Nawaz, however, rejected the idea outright, contending that token cash handouts of ten to fifteen thousand rupees would fall far short of meaningful compensation. She stressed that flood-hit communities had suffered “losses worth millions” in terms of human lives, homes, farmlands, and livestock, requiring a broader and more comprehensive rehabilitation strategy.
Speaking at a press conference at the Chief Minister’s House in Karachi, the PPP chairman pressed the federal government to utilise BISP for immediate assistance to flood victims, describing it as the country’s most reliable and internationally acclaimed mechanism for delivering transparent relief. He criticised the government’s failure to seek international support despite the unprecedented devastation caused by recent floods. He said Punjab had borne the heaviest losses, with large parts of South Punjab, including Multan, Bahawalpur, Lodhran, and Jalalpur, still submerged.
Questioning why aid had been turned into “a matter of ego”, Bilawal noted that BISP had successfully been used during past floods and the COVID-19 pandemic. He stressed that rejecting the programme would hurt Punjab most, since it had the highest number of beneficiaries.
The PPP chairman recalled that BISP was launched when PPP and PMLN were coalition partners, with Ishaq Dar as finance minister, and said PMLN leaders had themselves praised the initiative. He urged the government not to politicise relief efforts, insisting that BISP remained the only effective channel for reaching flood victims swiftly.
He welcomed Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s announcement of imposing an agricultural and climate emergency, as well as the waiver of electricity bills for flood-affected households, but urged the federal government to do more in the wake of the recent devastation.
Bilawal said the government should have immediately sought international aid, as was done in past disasters, and engaged the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to review conditions that prevent the state from ensuring support prices and affordable fertiliser for farmers. He warned that without urgent reforms, Pakistan could face serious food security threats.
The PPP chairman announced that the Sindh government would roll out a special agricultural package for flood-hit growers through the Hari Card scheme, adding that federal backing would help meet additional needs and strengthen the sector. He stressed the need to invest in local farmers instead of importing wheat, with the goal of making Pakistan a wheat-exporting country.
Bilawal also hailed the recent Pakistan-Saudi Arabia agreement, noting that parliament would soon be briefed on the deal, while on Palestine, he called for a global rethink after Israel’s escalating aggression. He said that more nations, including former opponents, were now recognising Palestine.
Responding to questions, he accused India of financing terrorism in Balochistan and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, terming terrorism Pakistan’s greatest challenge. He said lasting peace in Balochistan required political consensus-based solutions.
Separately, Punjab CM Maryam Nawaz on Thursday rejected the proposal of disbursing financial relief to flood-affected people through the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP), declaring that Punjab would manage flood compensation through its own resources.
Speaking at the inauguration of the electric bus project in Dera Ghazi Khan, she announced compensation of up to Rs1 million for families who lost homes, livestock, or crops. “What can a victim who has lost everything do with Rs10,000 or Rs15,000? I want to fully compensate people,” she said, reiterating her stance against foreign aid. “I am Nawaz Sharif’s daughter; I will not beg. How long will Pakistan keep stretching its hand before others?”
Maryam Nawaz vowed to safeguard Punjab’s interests and unity, warning opponents not to politicise flood relief. She underlined Punjab’s inclusivity, noting that hospitals and services were open to all, regardless of origin, and expressed solidarity with Sindh during crises. She described Asif Ali Zardari as her elder and Bilawal Bhutto Zardari as her younger brother, but urged PPP leaders not to exploit the issue for politics.
Rejecting regional divides, she said: “I am the chief minister of all Punjabis. Central Punjab is like my daughter Mahnoor, Upper Punjab like my daughter Mehrun-Nisa, and South Punjab like my son Junaid.” She accused past rulers of neglecting south Punjab, asserting that the PMLN had delivered development projects including motorways, expressways and now electric buses.
The CM highlighted recent welfare measures, including a nutrition project for malnourished children in south Punjab, ration support for two million families and the Apni Chhat Apna Ghar housing scheme. She also cited Rs3.5 billion spent on flood-control projects that helped minimise damage this year.
Maryam pledged that PMLN projects would not remain confined to major cities. “South Punjab is no longer neglected. People here are no longer living on promises — they are seeing their dreams turn into reality,” she said, drawing loud applause. She affirmed that cities such as Bahawalpur, Rahim Yar Khan, Multan and Dera Ghazi Khan were as central to Punjab’s identity as Lahore.
Unveiling transport and governance plans, Maryam announced the launch of 101 electric buses for DG Khan Division, with services to be extended to Rajanpur, Layyah, Muzaffargarh and Taunsa. She also promised a metro bus service for DG Khan and committed to holding monthly South Punjab Secretariat sessions to bring decision-making closer to residents.
Highlighting the positive public response, the CM said the visible joy on people’s faces strengthened her resolve to protect the region’s interests and investments. She warned that large expenditures would not be allowed to go waste and vowed strict action to ensure projects benefit local communities.
Urging citizens to protect public property, Maryam praised women serving in the Border Military Police as symbols of empowerment and called on people to safeguard the new buses. Referring to a recent vandalism incident in Mianwali, she said the culprit had been arrested and would be made an example of, stressing that endangering public transport endangers everyone.
