Khawaja Zaheer Ahmed - PDMA

c. http://www.nation.com.pk./pakistan-news-newspaper-daily-english-
online/Regional/Lahore/11Nov-2010/]
12. The Commission also benefited from the depositions of 82
witnesses/officials examined by the Sindh Judicial Commission that included a
local MNA and an MPA from the affected areas, Advocates (2), Media personnel
(4), Office-bearers from local Zakat Committees (2), Abadgars Social Welfare
Boards (2), Zamindars (15), Farmers/villagers (28), concerned public officials
(22), Irrigation officials /experts (10) and revenue staff (2). The 150 witnesses
examined by the Punjab Judicial Commission included locals/ affectees (50),
mostly from Muzaffargarh District and a few from Mianwali, High Court
Advocates (9), Provincial officials (48), including Departmental Secretaries/senior
officials (25) and Irrigation officials (23), Senior Federal officials (17), Subject
Specialists/Experts (13), District Administrations (7), Media (2) and three from
NGOs. Provinces/ administrations of Balochistan and KP or FATA did not hold or
report any significant probe or inquiry.
SECTION-1
GIST OF PUBLIC GRIEVANCES
13. During various sittings of the Commission, all the petitioners reiterated
substantive contents of their respective petitions to reaffirm grievances stated
therein with respect to inadequacy of pre-flood preparations, to allege neglected
state of maintenance of protective bunds, lack of direction or timely cautions to
enable people to vacate to safety. Attention was drawn to conflicting statements
of senior public functionaries: Whether breaches were pre-planned and induced
by authorized officials, these were motivated by malicious interventions or these
were accidental? Adequacy or otherwise of preparations for evacuation of the
affectees were questioned. Some breaches were allegedly at the behest of
politicians for diversion of flood waters to inflict unprecedented damages, with or
without departmental connivance. It was also asserted that too little was done too
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