Govt to compensate flood and rain-hit people, Punjab Assembly told

LAHORE: Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Mujtaba Shujaur Rehman told the Punjab Assembly on Friday that the government will announce support for those adversely impacted by the inclement weather prevailing in the country.

“The MPAs whose districts have experienced devastation [due to rains and flooding] should identify those areas, and the government will compensate farmers for their losses there,” the minister stated in response to a demand by the treasury MPA, Mehwish Sultana, seeking that the flood-affected areas be declared calamity-hit.

Acknowledging the unprecedented nature of the ongoing monsoon, the minister said: “We have received more rainfall than expected during the season,” confirming that the government has decided to provide financial assistance to compensate for the damages caused by the rains. Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz would soon announce financial aid for the bereaved families of those who died in the calamities, while those who have suffered financial losses will also be compensated,“ he added.

The session also saw a heated debate regarding alleged corruption within the Auqaf and Religious Affairs Department. Treasury member Ahsan Raza directly accused the shrines’ custodians (matawallis) of corruption and demanded accountability for the funds donated to various shrines. “Where has the money from philanthropists gone? We are facing corruption,” the MPA said.

Admitting corruption within the department, Parliamentary Secretary for Auqaf, Malik Waheed, said: “Which department doesn’t have corruption, but we are trying to run the system in a better way.” He, however, urged the members to provide evidence of corruption. “If corruption has occurred anywhere in the department, point it out, and I will conduct an audit and present it to the house.”

During the session, three new legislative drafts were introduced by Punjab Law Minister Sohaib Bharath – The Punjab Agricultural Income Tax (Amendment) Bill 2025, The Punjab Horticulture Authority Bill 2025, and The Punjab Senior Citizens Welfare Bill 2025.

Acting Speaker Zaheer Iqbal Channar referred all the bills to the relevant committees for review for a period of two months.

Upon completing the agenda, the chair adjourned the assembly proceedings until 2pm on Tuesday. Before adjourning, he announced that the Senate election for a general seat in Punjab would be held in the assembly on Monday. Voting will take place from 9am to 4pm. Special cards have been issued to MPAs for the polls and no one will be allowed to cast a vote without the card, he said.

Earlier, the session began over two hours behind its schedule. Prayers (Fateha) were offered for those who lost their lives in the recent floods, rains and storms across the province.

Opposition’s ‘public assembly’

In a show of solidarity with their suspended colleagues, the opposition PTI lawmakers staged a “public assembly” outside the provincial house. This unconventional session served as a platform for the opposition to voice their strong criticism of the government on various fronts, including the handling of recent floods, rising commodity prices and alleged political victimisation.

Ejaz Shafi, acting as the speaker for this “outdoor” assembly, allowed the opposition members to speak on points of order.

MPA Imtiaz Sheikh fiercely criticised the government, stating that the development projects being showcased by the administration have been “washed away in floodwaters.” Retired Col Shoaib Awan and Tayyab Rashid also joined in, accusing the chief minister of engaging in political theatrics and suppressing the opposition. They highlighted the dire situation in Punjab, asserting that the province is “drowning,” crops are submerged and houses are destroyed, yet the government remains “indifferent.”

Opposition Leader in the Punjab Assembly Malik Ahmad Khan Bhachar declared, “Until our suspended members are reinstated, we will not enter the assembly.” He painted a grim picture of Punjab’s current state, saying that the situation has become “quite critical.”

Bhachar criticised the government’s response to the floods, saying the calamity has exposed the weaknesses of its development projects. He pointed out the massive human cost, with “63 people dead and 290 injured” due to rains and floods, asking, “Who is responsible for this?”

He also attacked the government on economic issues, highlighting the drastic increase in petrol prices from Rs134 to Rs272 in a coupleof years, asking, “Who is the thief?” He further alleged that the sugar mafia has taken over the province.

Bhachar highlighted the alleged restrictions on incarcerated PTI founder Imran Khan in meeting the party leaders and workers in jail. He accused the government of “doing everything to suppress the PTI.”

He also presented a resolution against the devastation caused by floods and the soaring prices of sugar and petrol, that was passed by the “public assembly.” Following the completion of the agenda, Shafi adjourned the “session” indefinitely.

Published in Dawn, July 19th, 2025