- Decision taken at the PPP CEC meeting.
- Sherry Rehman appeals for help to flood victims through BISP.
- No compromise on finding help for the poor, says senator.
KARACHI: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Sherry Rehman on Saturday said her party has decided to give the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz-led federal government more time to fulfill its commitments.
The party convened its Central Executive Committee (CEC) meeting today amid tensions with its coalition partner, the PML-N, over issues including flood relief, water resources and governance.
Speaking to reporters after the CEC meeting, Rehman said PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari briefed the party leadership about the promises made by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in their previous meeting.
“We decided to give [federal] “The government and the prime minister have more time,” she said. “We will meet again after a month to review how many of their promises have been fulfilled. The PPP will then decide on its action plan based on this review.
The PPP leader stressed that her party played an important role in the formation of the federal government and key legislation. “We believed our voice would be heard within the coalition.”
Rehman reiterated his party’s stance that the Benazir Income Support Program (BISP) was an important tool to provide first aid in times of natural calamity.
The PPP leader insisted that the program should be used to help those affected by the floods, rather than being a platform to “throw political slogans against each other”.
The BISP became one of the points of contention between the PPP and the PML-N in the wake of the floods, with several Sindh ministers proposing to use it to help flood-affected people.
However, the Punjab government, led by Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, rejected these suggestions, saying the province had its own resources to help those affected by the floods.
Terming the BISP as a globally recognized programme, the PPP leader urged to use it to help people in flood-affected areas.
Rehman also spoke about the devastation caused by the recent floods in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Punjab and Sindh.
She said the PPP called for immediate aid to those affected by the floods and has already provided aid to several flood-affected areas.
“The people of Pakistan are our asset. Everyone has the right to speak for themselves. There will be no compromise on the demand for help for the poor,” Rehman said.
The PPP leader said her party appreciated the Federal Government for endorsing the recommendation of the PPP Chairman to ease the electricity bills of those affected by the floods.
The senator also praised the Pakistani armed forces for providing a befitting response to India after the country launched illegal strikes inside Pakistan in May.
Rehman said the CEC meeting praised Bilawal for launching “a diplomatic offensive” following Pakistan’s response to Indian aggression.
