Polls will be held on time, insist PM, PML-N supremo
Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif and Pakistan Muslim League-nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif have made it clear that the general elections will be held on time and no pressure in this regard will be accepted.
Thepremierhadameetingwithhiselderbrother, Nawaz Sharif, in London. Former finance minister Ishaq Dar was also present during the meeting.
Shahbaz Sharif informed Nawaz Sharif about the consultations with coalition leaders Asif Ali Zardari,bilawalbhutoandmaulanafazlurrehman.
Both the PML-N leaders agreed to steer the country out of multiple crises with the help of allies.
The premier said that at present the federal government was focused on rehabilitating the flood victims and improving the economy.
All allies are in favour of holding general elections on time and they vowed that the incumbent government will not accept any pressure and will complete its constitutional term.
The two brothers also held talks on the appointment of the new army chief and change of government in Punjab, party leaders said.
Nawaz Sharif urged the premier to take
Shahbaz meets Nawaz in London, says no pressure to force early elections will be accepted; govt has allocated Rs70b to provide relief to flood-hit people: PM; no new flood deaths in 3 days
measures for controlling the rising inflation in the country and said that steps should be taken to provide relief to the people.
“Shehbaz Sharif is making tireless efforts to rehabilitate the flood victims,” the PMLN supremo added.
Though Minister for Defence Khwaja Asif and Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb were part of Shehbaz Sharif’s delegation, they did not atend the meeting between Shahbaz Sharif and Nawaz Sharif.
Shahbaz Sharif said that the entire nation was united for relief and rehabilitation of the flood-affected people and the government was determined to complete the rehabilitation phase at the earliest.
He told the media that the government has allocated Rs70 billion to provide relief to the flood-affected people.
He said a cash assistance of Rs25,000 was being provided to each flood-affected family in the country through the Benazir Income Support Programme. He said the federal government, in collaboration with provinces, is providing food, tents, blankets and other essential items to the flood victims.
Shehbaz Sharif said people are generously contributing to the Prime Minister’s Flood Relief Fund and all state institutions are working tirelessly for the relief and rehabilitation of the flood victims. He appreciated the role of the armed forces in helping the flood-hit people. He also thanked the friendly countries and humanitarian organisations for their assistance to help the flood-affected people of Pakistan.
Pakistan said Monday there have been no fatalities for the past three days from the deadly floods that engulfed the country since mid-june, a hopeful sign that the nation is turning a corner on the disaster.
Since the start of the unprecedented monsoon rains and flooding, 1,545 people have died and thousands more have been injured.
The floods have affected 33 million people, leaving hundreds of thousands homeless. Swelling waters have swept away villages, roads and bridges, and at one point inundated a third of Pakistan’s territory.
In the atermath of the devastation, doctors and medical workers are batling the increase in waterborne diseases and other infections, and struggling to treat the sick and deliver medicines, food supplies and tents to people displaced by the floods.
The National Disaster Management Authority said the waters have now returned to normal levels in all rivers, lakes and reservoirs. Experts have said the flooding was worsened by climate change.
According to the provincial health department in Sindh, the country’s worst-hit province, a total of 68,418 patients were registered there on Sunday. Hundreds of villages in Sindh remain under water. Last week, doctors said they treated 90,000 patients at medical and makeshit camps across the province.
Most of the patients, mainly women and children, suffer from waterborne diseases, skin infections and dengue fever, the Sindh health department said. Among those killed by the floods in Pakistan this summer were 552 children and 315 women.