Free flour distribution: Elderly people, special persons, women priority, says PM

MULTAN/ BAHAWALPUR: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif Sunday paid a surprise visit to various free flour distribution points in Multan, Bahawalpur and other districts of south Punjab.

He ordered officials concerned to extend the maximum assistance to elderly people, special persons and women at the centres.

During his visit to the Multan sports ground free atta distribution centre, he said the above-mentioned three categories should get free atta bags without any trouble. He asked the officials to help the elderly and special persons taking their 10-kg bags to their bicycles or motorcycles.

The officials informed the premier they had already deputed persons to extend whatever help elderly people, women and disabled persons needed. The PM expressed satisfaction over the process and lauded the Multan administration for making good arrangements at the atta distribution points.

Shehbaz Sharif said people should not face difficulties during the month of Ramazan. He also talked to the poor people, who had assembled at the district sports ground, including special persons and asked them if they were facing difficulties in getting free flour bags and the level of facilities at the atta distribution centres. He issued orders to the local administration to take immediate measures to resolve the complaints on the spot.

The PM also went to the counter set up exclusively for people and talked to them for some time. The special persons thanked the prime minister for extending free flour facility to the impoverished segments of the society.

Shehbaz witnessed the process of distribution of free flour bags at a centre and emphasised that officials should supervise the operation personally and extend the maximum assistance to those coming to the point for getting free flour.

Chief Secretary Punjab Zahid Akhtar Zaman, Commissioner Multan Amir Khattak, Regional Police Officer Suhail Ahmad and Deputy Commissioner Omar Jahangir were also present. The commissioner and DC informed the prime minister that 75 counters had been set up at the Multan centre which they described as the biggest centre in south Punjab.

They said that 20,000 atta bags of 10-kg would be distributed among the poor and over 6,500 bags had already been distributed by midday Sunday.

Earlier, the prime minister also visited flour centres in Bahawalpur where he reviewed arrangements for free atta distribution and witnessed the process. He inspected the distribution point at Dring Stadium, Bahawalpur, and then visited the Abbasia Higher Secondary School Model Town-A and inquired about the process at both distribution points.

Earlier, on arrival of the prime minister at the Dring Stadium free flour distribution centre, commissioner Bahawalpur Division Dr Ehtasham Anwar briefed the PM about the arrangements made to distribute atta in Bahawalpur Division comprising Bahawalpur, Bahawalnagar and Rahim Yar Khan districts.

PM Shehbaz Sharif also visited a free medical camp set up by the district administration Bahawalpur in the distribution centre to promptly deal with any eventuality.