FAISALABAD, June 23: Mismanagement by organisers marred the public gathering addressed by Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani in Samundari on Monday as unavailability of drinking water, lack of proper ventilation in canopies covering the venue and humidity made the participants to suffer a lot, Dawn witnessed.
The prime minister came here to canvass for Qasim Zia, the former Punjab Assembly opposition leader and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) candidate for PP-59 by-elections.
The organisers placed chairs under huge canopies of tents without ensuring proper ventilation. Though fans were installed, participants kept searching for the persons who would switch them on.
Some children were also seen waving PPP flags but they were running here and there in quest of drinking water. Due to humidity, a few people also fainted but were immediately rescued by their fellows. The organisers had fixed around 6,000 chairs, but around 2,000 people showed up.
However, people accorded a warm welcome to the PM when he reached the venue. Punjab senior minister Raja Riaz and other party leaders and parliamentarians accompanied Gilani.
In his short address, the PM said the PPP with the help of its coalition partners would continue to empower masses and would provide them with basic amenities of life.
"It was mission of former prime ministers, Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and Benazir Bhutto, to strengthen the general public and enable them to decide about the fate of the country," Gilani added.
He said the government would ensure independence of the judiciary and the media and public departments would be strengthened to facilitate masses according to the PPP manifesto.
He said the government came into being with the support of millions of people in Feb 18 general elections and would definitely deliver a lot.
He said he would personally examine development projects initiated by parliamentarians to ensure whether or not the people were being benefited.
The PM also announced the establishment of a campus of Divisional Public School, Benazir Memorial Hospital and the upgradation of the Government Muridwala High School to higher secondary school. Later, Gilani also inaugurated the Dijkot-Muridwala Road. Speaking on the occasion, Zia urged the prime minister to focus this neglected area, especially dwellers of PP-59, who had been ignored in the past.
Talking to Dawn, Rehmat, of Chak Chehlan, criticised the organisers and said voters had been extended all facilities even in the public gatherings of union council elections, but conditions at Monday’s gathering were entirely different.
Nazir Ali, of Mongi Bangla, said once the people had entered the venue, they were not allowed to come out even for drinking water.
Media persons also faced snags to cover this event. Association of TV Journalists president Shahid Ali and secretary-general Tanvir Abass said journalists, particularly associated with the electronic media, had to face numerous problems because of the irresponsible behaviour of the information department officials. They said no proper arrangements were made for journalists to cover the event and many of their colleagues were not issued accreditation cards mandatory for the purpose.