Gilani, Pervaiz Ashraf visit LRH

PESHAWAR: Former prime minister and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Yusuf Raza Gilani has expressed deep shock and concern over the loss of precious lives in the heavy rain and windstorm in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and urged the provincial government to announce construction of houses for affected people.
Accompanied by another former prime minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, PPP provincial head Khanzada Khan, general secretary Humayun Khan and other party leaders, Gilani visited Lady Reading Hospital to inquire after the health of those injured in the natural disaster and expressed sympathy with those who lost their near and dear ones in the calamity.
Later, speaking at a press conference at the residence of former federal minister Arbab Alamgir Khan, Gilani said that it was responsibility of the Pakistan Tehreek Insaf (PTI)-led provincial government to take necessary steps for the rehabilitation of the affected families. He said the government should announce a compensation package for the affected people. “The government should also take the responsibility of reconstruction of the damaged houses,” he added.
The former prime minister said that the people of this province had rendered great sacrifices in recent years. “The province has not only been affected by militancy but also by natural disasters like floods, earthquakes, rains and storms,” he added. He said that during PPP government, the people of Malakand division, who were displaced due to military operation, were sent back home in a respectable manner. He said proper compensation was paid to them.
Gilani said that it was PPP, which gave identity to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, by renaming it as per the longstanding desire of the people of this province.
He added that each province received its due share in federal divisible pool after provincial autonomy. He maintained that PPP always strengthened federation and gave rights to provinces. He said that initiation of the Benazir Income Support Programme was another great achievement of the PPP.