By Abdullah Ahmad
LAHORE; Punjab Information Minister Uzma Bukhari strongly criticized the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), accusing it of deliberately targeting Punjab in order to weaken the federation.
“It is beyond my comprehension what PPP actually wants,” Uzma Bukhari said while speaking to the media. “If there is a matter of apology, then PPP owes several apologies itself. Why should the Chief Minister of Punjab apologize? They started this issue and they should be the ones to end it,” she added.
She said if Maryam Nawaz does not speak for Punjab, then why is she the Chief Minister. “Sindh plays the ‘Sindh card’ in every matter,” she remarked, accusing PPP of holding daily press conferences and hurling abuses. “If we don’t respond, what should we do? Can’t our people hold press conferences? Can’t they use strong language? We can, but we don’t have time for it.”
Uzma Bukhari questioned why Sindh keeps interfering in Punjab’s matters. “Let us do our work,” she urged. Referring to Senator Sherry Rehman’s statement in the Senate regarding a major calamity, Uzma Bukhari said, “We also agree that work must be done. We respect your advice and responded to it, but it is always Sindh that plays the provincial card.”
She highlighted that several questions were raised over the BISP survey. “This survey is designed to assess poverty levels. In Punjab, a different type of survey is being conducted for flood victims. Punjab was wrongly targeted over this issue,” she explained.
She added that the survey for flood affectees would be completed within a month, and compensation cheques would be distributed among the victims on October 17. “Our task is to rehabilitate flood-affected families in their homes,” she said.
Recalling Bilawal Bhutto Zardari’s statements during the election campaign in Kashmir when he was foreign minister, Uzma Bukhari said, “When Bilawal accused the Punjab government of conspiring against the federation, I had to respond. Check the record to see what he said about the Prime Minister back then.”
She said the Punjab government has always tried to give respect to PPP and hopes for the same in return. She appreciated Bilawal’s acknowledgment of the steps taken by the Punjab Chief Minister in Kasur, saying it would have been better if he had cooperated on flood-related matters.
Uzma Bukhari concluded that the Punjab government and its team are working hard to overcome the crisis in the province and urged that politics should not be played on this issue. “Everyone should focus on their responsibilities in their respective provinces,” she emphasized.
