DERA GHAZI KHAN: Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz strongly criticized the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) on Thursday, accusing it of playing politics over the flood crisis in Punjab despite being an ally in the federal government.
Speaking at the inauguration of the electric bus project in Dera Ghazi Khan, Maryam Nawaz said that distributing Rs10,000 under the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) was not enough to help flood victims rebuild their lives. She argued that each affected family should receive at least Rs1 million in compensation, as the existing aid was far too little for families who had lost homes and crops.
Maryam expressed regret that the PPP had politicized such a serious crisis. Without naming Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, she criticized his suggestion of seeking international aid for flood relief. She firmly rejected the idea, saying that as the daughter of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, she would never extend her hand before the world for money. “How can a self-respecting person ask for such help?” she questioned.
She also dismissed what she called “daily free advice” about appealing to the international community, stressing that Punjab was capable of managing its own relief efforts. Maryam further asked why the funds allocated through the National Finance Commission (NFC) were not being utilized for the people if not for disaster relief.
Without naming Bilawal directly, she told him to “keep your advice to yourself” and warned that any attempt to point fingers at Punjab would not be tolerated. “If any finger is raised against the province, I will break it,” she declared.
Highlighting development in South Punjab, Maryam Nawaz said the region was no longer being neglected. She emphasized that equal opportunities for growth and relief were being provided across the province and rejected attempts to use the South Punjab issue for political gain.
The Punjab CM also detailed relief measures already in place, including the provision of tents, food, and rations, while praising provincial ministers for their extensive work during the crisis. She added that she had neither sought additional funds from Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif nor diverted federal aid. Instead, she explained that ration cards were being distributed to hardworking families struggling with daily expenses, not to those depending on monthly stipends without effort.
Through her remarks, Maryam Nawaz underlined Punjab’s determination to handle the flood crisis independently while criticizing her coalition partner for undermining the province’s relief efforts with political point-scoring.
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