Centre’s ‘parsimony’ with relief funds irks PPP

QUETTA: PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has expressed resentment over the withholding of foreign aid by the federal government, which was given to rehabilitate the victims of the 2022 floods.
He made these remarks on Monday at an event to distribute compensation cheques distribution among the flood affectees.
The PPP chairman expressed his displeasure over being invited to distribute money “among a few victims” who have been displaced for more than two years now.
Mr Bhutto-Zardari said as foreign minister in 2022, he and then-PM Shehbaz Sharif secured aid from foreign countries and lenders with a pledge that the government would match their donations to rehabilitate the displaced population.
He referred to a $400m loan given by the World Bank and complained that the federal government got the money in US dollars, but it is giving it to Balochistan in rupees.
“Even then, the Centre was exerting control over how this money would be spent,” he said, lamenting that not a single house damaged during the floods had been rebuilt in Balochistan.
He warned that the 2022 flood wasn’t the last natural disaster faced by the country.

“Next time, we will have to go to these donors again. They will ask us about the commitments made last time,” he said, adding that the slow pace of rehabilitation would create problems for any future government.
He urged the federal and provincial governments to take immediate steps to address the issues faced by those who were severely affected by the natural disaster. “If both governments contribute, we can help more people.”
Earlier, the PPP chairman addressed an event organised by the Peoples Lawyers Forum, where he stressed the urgent need for judicial reforms and a Constitutional Court.
The PPP “will not be intimidated by threats” from lawyers on the issue of constitutional amendments, he vowed.
He said his late mother and former prime minister Benazir Bhutto envisaged a Constitutional Court where all four provinces have equal representation.
While referring to the Charter of Democracy, signed by his mother and PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif, the PPP chairman said Ms Bhutto had promised to introduce judicial reforms and establish constitutional courts for swift justice.

“The current political environment presents an opportunity to realise this component of the Charter of Democracy.”
He added that no party has a two-thirds majority in parliament and any decision with regards to setting up constitutional courts has to be made with consensus.
While explaining the rationale for setting up a new court, Mr Bhutto-Zardari claimed constitutional courts would be empowered to take up political cases which comprise 15 per cent of the total cases in the Supreme Court but consume 90pc of the court’s time.
He said the PPP wants to set up a Constitutional Court in the Centre and each province to help high courts provide expeditious justice.
“This would allow the existing courts to provide justice in civil and criminal matters, which would benefit people,” he said, adding that there is a consensus among PPP, PML-N, and JUI-F on this point.
However, he added the formation of new courts alone wouldn’t clear the backlog of cases and called for a review of the appointment process of judges.
The PPP has proposed repealing the 19th Amendment, and judges should be appointed according to the process outlined in the 18th Amendment.
However, he added that PML-N and JUI-F might not agree with this proposal as they want to merge the existing Judicial Commission and the parliamentary committee for the appointment of judges.
Published in Dawn, October 1st, 2024