LAHORE: Federal Minister for States & Frontier Region Lt. General (R) Abdul Qadir Baloch has sought business community help for provision of pedestal fans, water coolers and tents to nearly one million IDPs for their survival in this hot weather. He was speaking at the Lahore Chamber of Commerce & Industry (LCCI) here the other day.
LCCI President Engineer Sohail Lashari and Vice President Kashif Anwar were also among speakers. Former LCCI President Chaudhry Zafar Iqbal and Executive Committee Member Mian Zahid Javaid Ahmad were also present on the occasion.
Mr Qadir said that Zarb-e-Azab was more difficult war than that of 1965 and 1971; therefore, whole nation would have to value their sacrifices and show solidarity with their displaced brothers and sisters (IDPs).
He said that the federal government has been providing all possible facilities to the IDPs in coordination with Pakistan Army and local administration.
Highlighting the government efforts to assist the IDPs Federal Minister said that medical teams from Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) and Punjab government has been deputed to provide medical facilities to the IDPs and food packets has also been provided to one hundred thousand IDPs families.
The minister said that the federal government has allocated Rs2 billion for cash grants to the IDPs and more will be provided as soon as this amount was exhausted.
He said that Rs1 billion was given to the Pakistan Army in Bannu for providing various facilities to the IDPs and 60,000 metric tons of wheat has also been donated by World Food Programme for distribution to IDPs.
He said that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government was providing cash grants including Rs 3,000 per month as House Rent Allowance with Rs 5, 000 for Ramadan package.
Baloch said that Punjab government was providing a monthly cash grant of Rs 7,000 to each family. He said that after Ramadan combined monthly grant per family by federal and local governments will be Rs 22,000.
Speaking on the occasion, the LCCI President Engineer Sohail Lashari said that the business community would extend every possible help to the IDPs. He said that the IDPs are Pakistanis like us and would not be left alone in this hour of need.
The LCCI President said that the business community salutes the armed forces for their sacrifices for the cause of peace in this country.
Engineer Sohail Lashari said that in a meeting, he had assured the Chief Minister Punjab Mian Shahbaz Sharif that the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry would not stay behind and maximum financial support would be extended to the IDPs in next few days.
