LARKANA: In the first phase of a project to give ownership rights of residential units to flood victims of Sindh, Foreign Minister and PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Friday distributed title deeds among 5,000 families whose houses had been damaged during the last year’s unprecedented rains and flooding.

The PPP chairman attended the distribution ceremony held in the flood-affected village of Larkana district, Vikio Sangi, and also inspected the houses built by the Sindh Peoples Housing for Flood Affectees for the homeless rain victims.

Addressing on the occasion, he said the PPP government in Sindh was also providing financial assistance to the flood victims to rebuild their houses. Now such housing units were being constructed, which would be safe to a large extent in case of floods.

He said that home ownership right was an asset, which was being given to every woman of all the displaced families. “We have learned from Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto and former president Asif Ali Zardari that when women are economically empowered, it strengthens the entire family,” he added.

The PPP chairman said the government of Sindh had turned the natural calamity into an opportunity for building houses for the flood victims across the province. Two million houses were to be built in the entire province, he said, adding that though it would take time to complete the process, but that was the beginning of a revolution.

Vows to launch same facility in other provinces after winning elections

He said the people sitting in Islamabad had no idea of the sufferings of the flood victims of Larkana. Inflation, unemployment and poverty were increasing in the country, he said, adding: “Problems will be solved only by helping the common man and the day is not far when we will make Pakistan economically strong,”

He said that whenever the PPP came to power, it introduced pro-poor and pro-public projects. He said the elections were not far away, and after winning the next general elections, similar projects would be launched throughout the country, including Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.

He said there was an ideological difference between the PPP and other parties. “Other parties believe that making the rich richer benefits the country, but our party believes that investing money in poor citizens strengthens the economy. The rich people put the money in their bank accounts and forget about it, but the poor citizens spend it on their children and families, and so the money circulates to strengthen the national economy,” he added.

The foreign minister vowed that Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah and his team would complete the project of giving ownership rights to the flood victims across the province before the end of their government term.

Speaking on the occasion, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah referring to the last year’s floods said: “We tried to reach the marooned people with all possible assistance.”

He said Mr Bhutto-Zardari during the floods had asked for constructing the houses damaged in the rains, which had never before had happened. He mounted pressure on the Centre and province, and his dream came true, he said. “We consulted the World Bank and matter reached Geneva conference wherein the issue was effectively presented, he said.

He said the plan was taken off from Larkana where 5,000 flood victims were being given the ownership rights and so far the government had completed the work on distributing titles of land among 1.5 million people.

He asked deputy commissioners to complete the process of title of lands in the province within two days, so that it could take off from Monday.

Pointing towards Sindh’s energy minister, he said that all houses would be solarised as per the directions of Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.

The PPP chairman on the occasion handed over title of land to Koonj, Rehana and Suriya — flood victims.

Representing the affected people from different villages, Saeeda Abro, Shamshad Khatoon and Muhktiar Khatoon narrated the story of rains, damages and the difficulties they had faced during the situation.

Mr Bhutto-Zardari was accompanied by PPP cabinet ministers, lawmakers and party leaders.

Published in Dawn, July 22nd, 2023