Khawaja Zaheer Ahmed - PDMA

out. Illegal encroachments along the river banks were also a source
of observed damages.
j. Mr. Sarwar Bari, a social activist and political analyst attached to an
NGO, and a columnist gave an overview of his organization’s work
in flood management and disaster mitigation since 1992 and
shared his observations and findings after field visits during 2010
floods, based on exhaustive review of media reports and analytical
reviews on the subject. These had been reported in a detailed
column published in the Daily News in February 2011. He deposed
that early warnings were not issued to the affectees in the southern
Punjab to prepare them to move out to safety, to reduce damage to
life and property. He compared the extent of damages in some
areas in Muzaffargarh District with reference to numbers to
substantiate his observations by asserting that out of 608,822
Watan Cards in the Province, 242,392 (40%) were issued in Kot
Addu alone which showed extent of localized damage induced by
unauthorized breaches; that many genuine affectees were left out
in the process for various reasons was supported by a classical
case of person without both hands but denied Watan Card for not
being able to put his thumb impression or signatures. Hardships of
single ladies not legally separated from husbands were also
pointed out and flagged by his associate activists, to urge a fair
resolution of complaints against what were alleged to be graft-
seeking field staff. Mr. Bari vehemently asserted that disbursement
of relief and rehabilitation grants suffered neglect, inefficiency or
unchecked corrupt practices amongst Federal and Provincial
government’s field staff. Extended distances between residences of
the affectees to the ATM machines (11-50 miles) had exposed
them to extra hazards. It appeared to him that the rehabilitation
plan and program had not been unfolded fully and transparently.
Retention of Rs. 6 billion, allegedly lying idle in the Prime
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