August 18, 2007	Saturday	Sha’aban 4, 1428

ISLAMABAD, Aug 17: Opposition and treasury lawmakers in the Senate on Friday criticised the government’s apathy towards flood-hit areas in Sindh, Balochistan and the NWFP.

They said that an amount of Rs15,000 per family, announced by President General Musharraf as compensation for the flood-affected people, was not enough even to meet basic needs.

Opposition senators said the government had demonstrated indifference towards the flood victims in vast areas.

They said that international NGOs had not been allowed to operate in Balochistan, where power supply in many districts was yet to be restored.

Six senators, including two from the treasury, took part in the debate.

An opposition member claimed that the Mirani dam had developed cracks after the recent torrential rain and floods.

Mian Raza Rabbani, Dr Abdul Malik from Balochistan said that the province had initially suffered a loss of around Rs70-80 billion. He sought the house’s intervention in holding an inquiry into the matter.

“The agriculture sector in the province has been destroyed and hundreds of tube-wells washed away and devastated beyond repair,” he said.

He was at a loss to understand as to why NGOs from other countries were not being permitted to help the victims at this critical juncture.

The BNP lawmaker said the flood victims and their relatives were outraged by an indifferent centre and the provincial government and they could react angrily if relief was not provided.

Dr Ismail Buledi of the MMA sought an explanation from the government over the absence of alternative arrangements to meet the exigency.

PML’s Nisar A Memon praised the government and the armed forces for ‘timely action’ to provide relief to the victims.

The leader of the house, Wasim Sajjad, read out a statement issued by a spokesperson for the prime minister.

He said that PPP’s Enver Baig had given a baseless statement that a sterlisation machine worth Rs3m had been purchased for the prime minister’s shaving kit.

Mr Baig, however, said that the government had no ready defence of his allegations and they took 48 hours to deny it.

He said that they had removed the machine from the prime minister’s shaving kit in the meantime.

He told Dawn that such things come out in the open only after the change of government.