July 10, 2007	Tuesday	Jamadi-us-Sani 24, 1428

QUETTA, July 9: The flood-affected people in Kharan are yet to receive any relief and no leader of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League, including Chief Minister Jam Mohammad Yousuf, has visited the area, according to vice-president of PML Balochistan Mir Abdul Karim Nausherwani.

The former provincial minister was addressing a press conference at the press club here on Monday.

He stressed that he could not understand why government leaders and officials were reluctant to visit Kharan which was a peaceful area with no terrorist activities.

He regretted that while the people of Kharan had voted for PML candidates for the National Assembly and Balochistan assembly elections, the ruling party had left the voters alone in these difficult times.

Mir Nausherwani, father of Home Minister Mir Shoiab Nausherwani, said that the chief minister’s indifference to flood victims in Kharan was compelling them to reconsider if they should continue to be part of the coalition government.

He said that 50,000 houses collapsed during rains while floods had washed away 200 water supply schemes, adding that schools, electricity pylons and tubewells had been destroyed.

He said that Kharan flood victims immediately needed food, medicines and 50,000 tents.

Mir Nausherwani said it appeared that the government did not consider Kharan to be a part of Balochistan, adding that the administration was focussing attention on Makran and Nasirabad, whereas Kharan also needed as much help as these two districts.