Pakistan: Zardari, Bilawal direct PPP leaders to help IDPs

Pakistan People’s Party top leadership including ex-president Asif Ali Zardari and Bilawal Bhutto Zardari have directed all the district heads of PPP to arrange emergent provision of relief goods to the IDPs of North Waziristan KP to mitigate their miseries. Following these directions from the top leadership, a number of truckloads of all essentials of eating and living are being arranged from Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Attock, Jhelum and Chakwal under the auspices of local leaders.

This was told by Divisional head of PPP Raja Imran Ashraf, ex-federal minister of PPP Sardar Saleem Haider and member Punjab Co a uncil of PPP Haji Mohammad Gulzar Awan during well attended special meeting held here on Thursday.

Member PPP Punjab Council Haji Mohammad Gulzar Awan said the war against terrorists in North Waziristan was the war for safe future of Pakistan. “As the numbers of internally displaced persons (IDPs)are swelling from more than 500,000, our top leadership desired us to step forward to make fruitful efforts to provide relief to the IDPs from all cities across the country”, he added.

He said clean potable water, lifesaving drugs, crockery, tents, food items and other essential items would be provided to population settling in Bannu and other relief camps. He mentioned that a number of trucks carrying these items would be arranged on emergent basis to send as a first consignment during the next few days. “We will not leave the IDPs alone and the helpless and will take care of them till the operation against terrorists is over making IDPs return to their homes possible”, he stated.

Raja Imran Ashraf and Sardar Saleem Haider said all the district heads have been made aware of the directives of top leadership and directed to make immediate contacts with well-to-do party workers to help IDPs. They said the PPP would provide urgent humanitarian aid and food supplies to more than 50,000 families in camps in Bannu. They further mentioned food baskets, each containing flour, rice, dates, sugar, salt, lentils, oil and tea would be arranged to ease the distribution.

Sardar Saleem Haider said that a team of doctors along with medicines would also be arranged to provide health care facilities he IDPs. He also appealed to doctors and philanthropists to come forward and shoulder their responsibilities and help the displaced persons who sacrificed their homes for safe future of Pakistan.