*CM says government to distribute Eid gifts among displaced
It is our collective religious and national obligation to help the Pakhtuns displaced due to Operation Zarb-e-Azb against the terrorists in North Waziristan, said Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif while addressing a meeting to review measures for the help of displaced persons of North Waziristan and talking to donors to the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund on Wednesday.
National Assembly Member Hamza Shahbaz Sharif, provincial ministers Mujtaba Shujaur Rehman, Bilal Yasin, Muhammad Shafique, Advisor Khawaja Ahmad Hasaan, assembly members Pervaiz Malik, Manshaullah Butt, Ghulam Farid, Saood Majeed, Punjab chief secretary, Board of Revenue senior member and officers concerned were present on the occasion.
Shahbaz said that the Punjab government is also distributing cash amounts among displaced families so that they could purchase necessary items to meet their needs. He directed that the process of provision of financial assistance to all affected families be completed within next three days at any cost. He further directed the authorities to vigorously pursue the fund raising campaign for IDPs, adding that the process of distribution of cash among displaced families should be verified through information technology.
He said the Punjab government has also chalked out a programme to share Eid joys with the displaced persons of North Waziristan and Eid gifts will also be distributed among the affectees. He said that every penny of the funds deposited in Chief Minister’s Relief Fund will be spent on the IDPs. He said that overseas Pakistanis can be helpful in fund raising for the IDPs and they should also be contacted for providing relief to the displaced persons. Shahbaz said the Punjab government will not leave displaced persons of North Waziristan alone in the hour of need as they are facing hardships for peace in the country.