Muzaffargarh, September 8, 2025: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Monday urged the federal and provincial governments to immediately declare an agriculture emergency in Punjab, where farmers have suffered the heaviest losses from the recent devastating rains and floods.
Visiting Muradabad Union Council in Muzaffargarh, Bilawal reviewed the flood situation and met with displaced families. He said Punjab had endured the greatest destruction, with vast farmlands, crops, livestock, and houses badly affected.
The PPP chairman outlined a three-point response plan, saying: “The first priority is rescuing stranded people, the second is providing rations and tents, and the third is devising sustainable measures for long-term rehabilitation.”
Bilawal stressed that farmers remain the most severely hit community and called for loan waivers or special support packages to help them resume agricultural activities. “Without urgent support, farmers cannot stand back on their feet,” he remarked.
He further said he had requested Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to ensure relief assistance is delivered transparently through the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP), which he termed the most effective mechanism due to its verified beneficiary data.
Recalling his tenure as Foreign Minister in the PDM government, Bilawal noted that a housing programme for flood victims had been launched at that time and urged both federal and provincial governments to take similar steps now to provide shelter to displaced families.
The PPP chairman also commended the Punjab media for highlighting the plight of flood-hit communities and praised the dedication of institutions engaged in rescue and relief operations. “If shortcomings are noticed, they must be pointed out, but so far no major flaws have been observed,” he said.
Emphasizing unity in the face of disaster, Bilawal remarked: “Moments of natural calamities demand service to the people beyond political differences.”
Punjab Governor Saleem Haider, MNAs Abdul Qadir Gilani, Ali Qasim Gilani, Irshad Sial, and other PPP leaders accompanied Bilawal during his visit.
