LAHORE: The commission proposed by Nawaz Sharif to mobilise resources for relief work and monitor expenditures could not be constituted as provinces refused to contribute 30 per cent of the budget for their Annual Development Programmes to it, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani disclosed on Saturday. “We never rejected Mr Sharif’s proposal, but provinces did not agree to surrender a part of the ADP to the proposed federal pool in a meeting of all chief ministers and the AJK prime minister. Although Shahbaz Sharif did not speak on the issue (at the meeting), his silence indicated an agreement with his counterparts,” Mr Gilani told a group of journalists at his Defence Society residence.
In reply to a question that Mr Shahbaz Sharif in fact had opposed the proposal of his elder brother, the prime minister did not comment.
“Now I have decided to form a 10-member council to oversee the collection and judicious spending of the flood aid. I have asked the provinces to propose some names while I intend to make some proposals, too. It will be headed by a person from civil society,” he said.
Mr Gilani did not agree with a suggestion that the government had no credibility. “If we are not trustworthy, then no one is trustworthy in the country. It is our credibility that huge foreign aid is pouring in.”
“Those who are playing politics on flood devastation will not get any mileage. They will have to show political maturity,” the prime minister added.
“Critics are even pointing fingers at us for misappropriation of funds collected for the 2005 earthquake victims. Gen Musharraf and Shaukat Aziz should have been questioned about this,” he said.
The prime minister said the people of Pakistan were donating generously to the flood relief fund. “The amount I have received from individuals is Rs1.58 billion.”
Mr Gilani was also critical of those who made no decision on the building of dams, including Kalabagh, when they were in power. “We are fortunate that all provinces are unanimous on Diamer Bhasha Dam. We have started working on non-controversial dams,” the prime minister said
He said the government’s priorities were rescue, relief and rehabilitation. “We will also ensure no houses are built in areas prone to floods.”
Mr Gilani dismissed an allegation by former prime minister Zafarullah Khan Jamali that breach in embankments had destroyed Rojhan Jamali, his home town.
He also defended accepting India’s aid offer for flood-hit people. “I would like to ask the critics of Indian aid on what ground we should refuse it. It will be a narrow approach if we refuse aid from India,” he said.
“At a time when we are pushing for resumption of dialogue with India, will it not be strange if we refuse its aid offer. We should come out of this approach and portray a strong image of Pakistan,” he said.
He informed his audience that at a meeting of the Asian Forum, Pakistanis and Indians had collected funds for the flood-affected.
About the Afghan scene, the prime minister said a stable Afghanistan was in the interest of Pakistan. “We want a stable Afghanistan. We are a part of the problem (over there) and a part of the solution at the same time,” he said. “We do not interfere in Afghanistan’s internal matters.”
In reply to a question, Mr Gilani said imposition of a flood tax was not under consideration.
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