As tens of thousands of flood-affected families await much-needed relief, it is unfortunate and deeply disappointing that political bickering between coalition partners has taken a center stage.
The dispute between ruling PML-N and its coalition ally, the PPP, over mechanism of distributing aid is not just ill-timed, it is insensitive to immense suffering on the ground.
At the heart of disagreement lies a debate over how to extend the assistance. The Punjab government, under Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, has launched a province-specific digital relief initiative, promising significant compensation: Rs1 million for fully destroyed homes, Rs500,000 for partial damages, Rs500,000 per livestock loss, and Rs20,000 per acre for small-scale farmers. However, the PPP continues to insist that the BISP remains the most efficient and transparent channel, citing its national infrastructure and track record. But as valid as these positions may be, they must not be allowed to overshadow urgency of the moment. Flood victims are not concerned about how aid reaches them — whether through a relief card or BISP is immaterial. What matters is when it reaches and whether it is sufficient and fairly distributed. The focus should be squarely on ensuring that assistance is timely, transparent and effective. At a time when livelihoods have been washed away, homes reduced to rubble, and hundreds of thousands of livestock lost, political leaders must rise above their partisan instincts. What the people need right now is not political theater but competent governance and united action. The damage assessment survey, now being rolled out by the Punjab government is a critical step. But this process must be swift, comprehensive and free from bureaucratic bottlenecks. Any delay in assessing losses will automatically delay compensation, reconstruction and ultimately rehabilitation of entire communities. The PPP’s criticisms regarding scale and adequacy of compensation also merit examination yet it should be channeled constructively. Political disagreements, particularly within a coalition, should be resolved through dialogue, not press conferences and media battles. The affected population will remember not just what aid they received but how their leaders conducted themselves in their hour of need. Compassion must outweigh competition. The only priority now must be provision of relief to affected people.
