ISLAMABAD, Aug 4 A member of the National Assembly from district Layyah has sent an SOS to federal and provincial governments, requesting help for flood-affected people in his constituency and accusing the Punjab government of ignoring his area because of political reasons.

Layyah is among the worst affected districts of Punjab and people there are in desperate need of food and medicines.

Sardar Bahadur Ahmed Khan Sihar, who belongs to the PML-Q, told Dawn on phone he had been continuously calling for help, but to little avail. He alleged that under pressure from the provincial government, officials were not cooperating with him.

He said hundreds of villages had been submerged but “no agency, national or international, has come to rescue people and their livestock”.

“Being an elected representative of this area, I really don't know what relief and rehabilitation efforts our district government is carrying out. They have set up only a few tents which have very limited capacity and most of the affected people are forced to live in the open,” Sardar Sihar said, adding that, this was not the time for politicking.

He said devastation caused by the floods in his area was unprecedented. About 400,000 people have been displaced, 250,000 head of cattle lost and crops over 275,000 acres destroyed.

According to Sardar Sihar, the incidents of dog and snake biting had added to people's misery. He said that vaccines for dog and snake bites, other medicines and tents should be immediately provided.

Sardar Sihar appealed to national and international NGOs for help. He said that funds being collected for flood-affected people without proper documentation could be embezzled. He called for involving the local leadership in rescue and rehabilitation efforts.

Despite repeated attempts, this correspondent did not succeed to get in touch with Punjab government's spokesperson Senator Pervez Rashid for comment on Sardar Sihar's allegations.