KARACHI   -   The Pakistan People’s Party on Sunday announced holding a public gathering, to be coincided with International Labour Day, in the metropolis and the party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari will address it.

The PPP chairman, during his address, would make key announcements regarding welfare of the labourers and farmers.

Sindh Local Bodies Minister Saeed Ghani who is also the party’s Karachi Division President, stated while talking to newsmen here at PPP Media Cell on Sunday. He was flanked by Adviser to Sindh CM Murtaza Wahab, Waqar Mehdi and others leaders.

The scheduled PPP public meeting is being seen as a reaction to “power shows” by the ruling party in the Centre, the PTI and its coalition partner Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P), separately held on Saturday and Sunday respectively.

Ghani termed the MQM-P gathering on Saturday a “Jalsi” and said that it had once again proved that the mandate of the city was stolen in past. “Even the PTI gathering with all its activists coming from parts of the province will prove that its mandate from the city was a fake one,” he claimed.

He said that recently held polls had proved that the PPP is the party of masses and was elected with more seats in the province than in the past.

He said that the PPP had carried out rallies and hold public gatherings in context of Labour Day in past and even this year, a gathering was initially planned by the Labour Division at Kemari. He, however, said the venue was changed from Kemari after the party chairman expressed his interest to participate in it.

“Due to less space in Kemari, we have now moved the venue from Kemari to Dawood Chowrangi area in Quaidabad,” he pointed out, adding that the party activists, labourers and supporters from Karachi would participate in it. While criticizing MQM-P demand for separate province, Ghani said that whenever the party comes under pressure it uses the province card to hide its inefficiencies. “Their conspiracies will not succeed this time as the people have come to know of their real faces,” he said.

GOVERNOR, CM MEETING

To a question regarding meeting between the Sindh governor, Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah and members of PTI and PPPP in Governor House a day before, Saeed Ghani said that the meeting was held on the request of the governor. “The governor called the meeting to improve political atmosphere in the Sindh Assembly and had suggested forming a committee to resolve issues pertaining to it. “Despite having political differences, we want to run the assembly affairs smoothly,” he asserted.

It is pertinent to mention here that the assembly proceedings were marred due to protest, walkouts and boycott of proceedings from the opposition parties. The lawmakers from both treasury and opposition were also engaged in heated debates with some times lawmakers near to be engaged in a physical brawl.

To a question regarding hue and cry from MQM-P over lack of funds, Ghani said that the provincial government is ready to give Rs2 billion on monthly basis to KMC if they hand over revenue collection to the province. “Their collection target is merely Rs1.5 billion and we are ready to give them more from it,” he said.

INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION OF RED CROSS

The humanitarian actors must do more to respond to the needs of world’s most vulnerable people, states World Disaster Report which was presented by the International Federation of Red Cross (IFRC) at an event organised by them in collaboration with Pakistan Red Crescent at IBA here on Thursday. The event marks 100 years celebrations of IFRC with the launch of World Disaster Report 2018 titled ‘Leaving No One Behind’.

The massive and growing gap between the funds required and the funds available for humanitarian response is a major factor behind the exclusion of the world’s most vulnerable people. This is why people are at high risk of being left behind by humanitarian response, reveals WDR 2018.

The first session discussed about the challenges faced by local and international humanitarian organizations to meet the needs of people and the constraints of providing humanitarian assistance to all.

In his address, Chairman PRCS Dr. Saeed Elahi said that this is a wake-up call for the entire international humanitarian sector.

“We are all trying to do more with less, and the resources available will never grow at the same rate as the humanitarian needs. We will have to make better choices. The World Disaster Report lays out clear recommendations for how to achieve this, and Pakistan Red Crescent Society is looking closely at how to implement these in Pakistan.”, said Dr. Saeed Elahi

In this context, PRCS Sindh Chairman Mrs. Shahnaz Hamid highlighted the challenges faced by humanitarian sector in Pakistan.

Exploring the relevance of World Disaster response in Pakistan, Neil Buhne of UN Pakistan discussed about the challenges faced by international humanitarian organizations and the constraints faced in reaching out to the farthest.

Mr. Thomas Gurtner, Head of Country Office IFRC, highlights five ways that the international humanitarian system leaves people behind. These are lack of money, lack of physical access, lack of understanding of who is in need and how best to help them, and a lack of flexibility in expanding humanitarian assistance to people outside the traditional areas of conflict, disaster, displacement or disease.

The humanitarian sector can - and must - make a stronger effort to meet the most urgent needs, concluded the final session on CSR and philanthropy in Pakistan.

The event marks the celebration of 100 years of IFRC and its work in providing assistance to the national society in disasters and conflicts in Pakistan.