MULTAN, Aug 12: Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif on Tuesday waived water tax and wrote off loans of Rajanpur farmers having up to 12½ acre land.

At a briefing in Rajanpur, Sharif said the district officials took the relief operation as a challenge. He said committees had been formed to asses the losses and added that rain-hit people would be compensated soon.

He said rain-hit people would be compensated regardless of their political affiliation. Negligent officials would be penalised.

Sharif announced that Board of Revenue senior member Syed Safdar Javaid, Relief Secretary Rizwanullah Baig, Rajanpur DPO Dr Rizwan Ahmed, DSP Nasir Sial, District Officer for Revenue Muhammad Ramzan and EDO (health) Shehnaz Naeem would be given gold medals for their performance.

Senior minister Raja Riaz, MPA Athar Hasan Gurchani, DG Khan Regional Police Officer Mubarak Ali Athar and Chief Minister’s Inspection Team Chairman Tariq Mazari were also present at the briefing. —Correspondent