ISLAMABAD, July 31: Former prime minister and PPP chairperson Benazir Bhutto has expressed grief over the deaths and devastation due to heavy rains and flash floods in Sindh and other parts of the country and asked the government to take early steps for the rehabilitation of the affected people.

In a statement issued by the PPP media cell here on Wednesday, the former premier lamented the death of hundreds of people and the dislocation of tens of thousands others in the province and other areas.

“It is the duty of the government to compensate from the Zakat funds the kith and kin of the deceased and help them cope with the calamity”.

Ms Bhutto asked the regime to leave power games and address the miseries of the poor. She also demanded gearing up of medicare facilities and provision of drugs to the injured.

Cattle and crops were also destroyed causing enormous financial loss to the country as well as to the poor peasants.

She said many had died due to snakebites as adequate serum was not available. Viral infections, hunger, malnutrition, low immunity, use of contaminated water and the lack of doctors had taken a heavy toll on the life of the masses, but the regime remained busy in power games, she added.

“This is criminal neglect on part of the government and is most condemnable’.

Ms Bhutto said that instead of using the state machinery to snatch lands from the poor tenants of Okara, the state resources must be used for the rehabilitation of the poor and orphans, she said.