Govt drops idea of forming flood commission

ISLAMABAD Anticipating the 'negative fallout of the proposed Commission comprising persons of impeccable integrity and character to collect funds and oversee the relief and rehabilitation work, the Government has dropped the idea and now the whole exercise would be managed through National Disaster Management Commission (NDMC). In a fresh move the Government has decided that the names given by Mian Nawaz Sharif for the proposed commission would be co-opted in the NDMC for the satisfaction of the main opposition party and in this connection Prime Minister Gilani has already taken Chief Minister Punjab Mian Shahbaz Sharif into confidence - who being the Chief Minister is also the member of NDMC along with other three chief ministers. A few days back Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani and Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) Quaid Mian Nawaz Sharif in a joint press conference had announced formation of a neutral and apolitical commission with people of impeccable character and integrity as its members to oversee the whole exercise of relief and rehabilitation work in the flood-hit areas. Sources in the Pakistan Peoples Party took a strong notice of the move and in a series of meetings at Presidency it was pointed out that formation of such a commission was tantamount to accepting the Government as corrupt and incompetent that was not capable of handing the affair in transparent fashion. At the same time the top hierarchy of National Disaster Management Authority had also raised serious concerns over the move and privately informed the top bosses of the Government that formation of a parallel body for fund collection and monitoring of the relief and rehabilitation work would be a no-trust on the working of NDMA and other such bodies working day in and day out for the relief and rehabilitation of millions of people effected by the floods. They further said that the move would also give a negative impression of the Government across the comity of nations, which were already raising their eyebrows over the credibility of the Government. Sources in the Government said that the idea of formation of commission floated in a joint press conference by Premier Gilani and Mian Nawaz Sharif was almost dropped and the final announcement in this connection would be made after the meeting of NDMC due on Thursday (today). A senior politician working close to PPP leadership commenting on the situation said that formation of such a commission would in a way no-trust on the whole ruling elite both at the Centre and in the provinces. He referred to the composition of NDMC which functions under the head of Prime Minister with all the four Chief Ministers, Leader of Opposition in the National Assembly, Chairman Senate and technical staff including Chairman NDMA as its members. He said that in the presence of such an apex body to handle the disaster management, formation of such a body would show the whole ruling political elite as incapable and redundant.

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