LAHORE, Sept 24: The opposition has taken exception to the government for allegedly being indifferent to the needs of citizens living in small towns. Qasim Zia, along with MPAs Mukhtar Husain Shah, Samiullah Khan and Javed Hassan Gujjar, told a press conference here on Saturday that no federal or provincial government had so far come to the relief of the Kabirwala blast victims.

At least 13 people were killed and 30 injured in a blast in an illegally-run mini-cinema at Kabirwala on Sept 21. “Had the victims belonged to some big towns, they would have been immediately paid compensatory amounts and provided with the best medical treatment,” they said.

But in the case of Kabirwala incident, they regretted, neither any higher-up bothered to visit the victims admitted to the Multan Nishter Hospital nor was any compensation announced for them.

At least two ministers and an adviser to the chief minister hail from the area.

Mukhtar Shah pointed out that the district police officer had turned up on the spot but not the SHO, who was allegedly engaged in campaigning for the ruling PML-backed candidates for district and tehsil nazim slots.

He said no action had so far been initiated against the cinema owner, who was screening X-rated movies there.

Mr Shah pointed out that two more mini-cinemas were illegally operating in Haveli Pull Adda despite written complaints filed with the relevant authorities for the last six months.

Mr Zia, the opposition leader in the Punjab Assembly, alleged that the police were busy arranging meetings and running election campaigns of the ruling party candidates in the province instead of maintaining law and order.

The SHOs, accompanied by the ruling party candidates, were threatening their political opponents, he said, and added that the police had replaced the NAB and anti-corruption department for harassing and harnessing the opposition.

Mr Khan alleged that on one hand security for the chief minister’s fleet had been increased and new vehicles worth Rs100 million had been procured, but on the other hand common people had been left at the mercy of lawbreakers and terrorists.

Answering a question, Mr Zia said he was going to file a disqualification reference against PPP MPA Zahoor Hasnain Qureshi, son of Pir Shujaat, with the speaker for switching loyalties to join the ruling PML. So far a notice, as required under the law, had been served on Mr Qureshi.