SWABI: National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser has directed the Swabi deputy commissioner to investigate the opposition parties’ allegations that the committees set up for provision of relief money to the lockdown-affected people comprised political activists.

In a statement issued here on Friday, he said he had got information from different regions of the district that the committees consisted of like-minded people of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf and failed to recommend the names of the people really in need of help, thus depriving them of the government assistance.

The committees were constituted at the union council level, but the opposition parties alleged the ruling party wanted to help its workers only and ignored the deserving people.

Mr Qaiser said the assistance was for the poor only and that if any wrongdoing was detected in formation of such bodies, strict action would be taken against those responsible.

“Let me make it clear that the government package is for the poor, particularly the daily wagers hit hard by the lockdown,” he said. “Those who are financially sound should help the poverty-stricken sections of the society at this critical time.”

If the money allocated for the deserving goes to the pockets of the resourced people it won’t serve the purpose, he said.

“As soon as the investigation is complete we will take action against all those involved in any irregularity,” he promised.

Published in Dawn, April 11th, 2020