MIANWALI, Sept 10: Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has asked Interior Minister Rehman Malik to shun his ‘intrigues’ to avoid wrath of the flood-affected people.

Speaking at a ceremony to distribute Watan Cards at the Government Degree College for Boys on Friday, he expressed gratitude for Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani for timely releasing funds and enabling the Punjab government to pay off the first installment of monetary succour to the flood-affected families.

He accused the interior minister of trying to delay the activation of cards. He said initially the government was paying Rs20,000 each to the families to enable them to return homes. The next amount would be delivered after verifying and assessing the actual damage through a survey which was in progress, he said.

He said nearly one million mineral water bottles had been provided to the flood victims, which had saved them from diseases. He said he would pay repeated visits to Mianwali till the rehabilitation of all the flood-hit people. People in 153 villages in the district were benefiting from the cash support, he said.

EID DUTY: The chief minister announced that Rana Sanaullah and Rana Muhammad Afzal, an MPA from Faisalabad, would celebrate Eid with the flood-affected people of Rokhri Katcha (Mianwali).

PML-N legislators including Humair Hayat Khan Rokhri, Aamir Hayat Rokhri, Ali Haider Noor Khan Niazi and Malik Feroze Joya would celebrate Eid in other areas. Special Adviser to CM Begum Zakia Shah Nawaz will be at Isakhel.

Health Secretary Fawad Hasan Fawad, Local Government Secretary Khizar Hayat Gondal and Labour Secretary Abdul Rauf Khan also have been asked to remain in the flood-hit areas on Eid.