QUETTA, June 30: Leaders and activists of the National Party (NP) staged a demonstration here on Saturday against the alleged failure of the government in initiating relief and rescue operations in flood-hit areas of the province.

They claimed that around 2.5 million people had been affected by the floods in various districts but the government, despite having all resources, had failed to help the affected people.

The protesters were led by NP chief Dr Hayee Baloch. Balochistan assembly members, including Kachkol Ali, Rehmat Baloch and Dr Shama Ishaq also addressed the demonstrators.

They claimed that the devastation in Balochistan had not only exposed the government’s apathy for the victims but had also revealed the silence of the other three provinces who had otherwise played a major role in the aftermath of the October 8, 2005, quake tragedy.

The speakers regretted that even though six days had passed but the government could still not compile the casualty figures.

They claimed that the Baloch people did not need funds announced by the federal government for the victims and said Balochistan was rich in resources and should not beg for help from the ‘tyrant government’ that had killed thousands of people, including Nawab Akbar Bugti in a military operation.

The NP leaders termed the coalition government as corrupt and alleged that the Rs300 million funds allocated by the federal and provincial governments for the victims would be distributed among the ruling party workers and sympathisers.