Fact-check: CM Punjab’s claim that no funds were given to flood survivors in Punjab is inaccurate
Official documents show that the federal government has to date delivered 94 bank cheques to flood affectees in Punjab
Updated Thursday Oct 13 2022
The chief minister of Punjab has repeatedly alleged that the federal government has not provided any financial assistance to his province after the deadly floods struck three districts of Punjab.
Documents prove that the chief minister’s statement is incorrect.
Claim
On October 6, the chief minister of Punjab Chaudhry Parvez Elahi tweeted that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has not “given a single penny for the flood survivors in Dera Ghazi Khan and Rajanpur” in Punjab.
He has repeated this allegation in several interactions with the media.
Fact
Official documents shared with Geo Fact Check by Ahsan Iqbal, the federal minister for planning, development and reform, show that the federal government and the national disaster management authority (NDMA) have to date delivered 94 bank cheques, of Rs1 million each, to flood affectees in Punjab, who have lost a family member.
Iqbal also told Geo Fact Check that a further Rs70 billion has been distributed by the Center to flood survivors across Pakistan, under the Benazir Income Support Program (BISP).
The documents provided by the minister also show that 1,750 tents, 1,500 mosquito nets, 1,000 sleeping bags, 3,400 food packs, amongst other assistance, have been sent to date to the provincial disaster management authority (PDMA) in the province for Punjab’s Dera Ghazi Khan, Mianwali, Rajanpur and Rojhan.
A senior official of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), who spoke to Geo Fact Check on the condition of anonymity, also confirmed that funds to provinces have been dispersed under the Benazir Income Support Program as well as ex-gratia grants.
NDMA is the central body tasked with disaster management across Pakistan.
However, the official added that funds for the reconstruction of homes and infrastructure have not been given to any province as yet.
“It is too early for that, as surveys are ongoing right now,” he said, over the phone, “After the surveys [to determine the extent of damage] are complete then the government will decide how much money will be given for reconstruction.”
Follow us on @GeoFactCheck. If our readers detect any errors, we encourage them to contact us at [email protected]
