Finance and opposition benches jointly expressed strong criticism in the Punjab Assembly over alleged irregularities and discrimination in the distribution of government aid to flood-affected people in the province.
PML-N lawmaker Khalid Mahmood drew Parliament’s attention to what he called ‘unfair behaviour’ by local authorities, claiming that poor families without land ownership documents have been denied relief. “In my constituency, people who do not own land are excluded from the financial assistance programme,” he said. “These are poor citizens who have suffered losses but cannot afford to buy land.”
Mahmood said local authorities restricted payments only to registered landowners – a policy he described as “deeply unfair and contrary to the spirit of public welfare”. He urged Prime Minister Maryam Nawaz to ensure that the landless and vulnerable are also included in the compensation process.
Responding to his concerns, Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Mian Mujtaba Shuja-ur-Rehman clarified that the chief minister had already asked the authorities to compensate riverine residents by providing both alternative land and financial assistance.
“It is not true that only landowners will be compensated,” he argued. “Those who lost their homes will receive between Rs500,000 and Rs1 million, while people who lost land or livestock will also be paid accordingly.” Rehman further assured the gathering that he would personally consult the relevant departments and provide an update on the issue.
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Meanwhile, opposition MPA Rana Shahbaz alleged that the survey process to identify flood-affected families was rigged in his constituency. “Patwaris and tehsildars favor certain landlords while excluding others,” he alleged, adding that people associated with PTI and PPP were deliberately removed from the lists.
In response, Minister Rehman acknowledged that the investigation in some hard-hit regions was still incomplete, but assured that “compensation checks will be issued as soon as the process is completed”.
Separately, PML-N lawmaker Ahmed Iqbal highlighted that Punjab faces several recurring crises throughout the year – including heat waves, floods, heavy rains and now smog. “These problems did not appear overnight and cannot be solved overnight,” he noted, urging the government to take ‘rational and long-term’ policy decisions.
He also criticized the School Education Department’s new start time at 8:45 a.m. and said it conflicts with office hours and worsens traffic congestion. Rehman replied that he would take up the matter with the department for reconsideration.
Later, the opposition pointed out the lack of quorum in Parliament. As the government benches did not reach the requisite number, the panel of chairpersons Samiullah Khan adjourned the session to October 28 at 2 p.m.
