PM reviews free flour distribution in DG Khan, Muzaffargarh

DERA GHAZI KHAN/MUZAFFARGARH: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday visited the free flour distribution centre here as well as in Muzaffargarh and reviewed the overall arrangements for the facilitation of beneficiaries.

The prime minister inquired about the problems faced by the beneficiaries who had gathered there to receive free flour bags under the PM’s Special Ramazan Package. He directed the authorities to resolve all their issues. Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb also accompanied him. During his visit, the prime minister was informed that so far, 4.9 million flour bags had been distributed among the deserving families in the Dera Ghazi Khan Division.

On the occasion, the prime minister said the distribution of free flour was going on smoothly under the supervision of the caretaker Punjab chief minister. He also directed giving priority to women, the elderly and the handicapped during the distribution process. He also personally distributed free flour bags among the elderly and differently-abled people.

Shehbaz said the country was facing challenges but with the blessings of the Almighty Allah, the coalition government was on track to steer it out of the crisis. He said for the first time in history, the government was providing free flour to the needy.

After Ramazan, he said the government would continue subsidies on flour for the deserving. He also expressed his resolve to build Pakistan in line with the vision of Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and Allama Muhammad Iqbal. Meanwhile, representatives of the Girls Guide Association also met with the prime minister at the distribution point. He was informed that a representative forum of girls’ colleges of the district was actively supporting the distribution process. Shehbaz Sharif announced to provision a bus to the girls’ guide training centre and promised the development of the training centre. The prime minister was informed that 5,000 girls were registered under the girls’ guide campaign in the DG Khan Division.

Commissioner DG Khan Dr Nasir Mahmood Bashir, during a detailed briefing to the PM, said that over 4.8 million free wheat flour bags have so far been distributed among the poor people through 44 centres in the four districts, including DG Khan, Layyah, Rajanpur and Muzaffargarh.

In Muzaffargarh, the prime minister was briefed by Deputy Commissioner Salman Khan Lodhi about the flour distribution process. During an interaction with the beneficiaries, the prime minister sought their feedback about the facilities available at the distribution centre at Faisal Stadium. He also directed for immediate redressal of the issues faced by the people in availing the government’s welfare scheme. The prime minister personally monitored the distribution process and also gave away flour bags to the elderly people and women who highly appreciated the government particularly the prime minister for launching the free flour scheme.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif directed the officials to soon launch cardiac surgery at Recep Tayyip Erdogan Hospital. He said that the health facility was one of the mega health projects during his last tenure as Punjab chief minister. He expressed these views during his visit to the hospital here. The prime minister ordered the hospital administration to make other departments operational to extend more facilities to the masses. Flanked by Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb, the prime minister inspected emergency, surgical wards, operation theatres, ICU and CSSD and inquired after the patients hailing from Layyah, Bahawalnagar and Multan about the healthcare facilities being extended to them. They expressed satisfaction with the facilities. He instructed the administration to further improve it.

Meanwhile, the government has decided to pay the salaries of the current month to the employees of public sector departments before Eid-ul-Fitr. A decision to this effect was taken during a consultation between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Finance Minister Ishaq Dar in Islamabad, reported local media. It was also decided that the monthly pension will also be given before Eid-ul-Fitr. The finance minister directed the secretary of finance to make arrangements forthwith.