LAHORE: PTI Central President and former Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Parvez Elahi has blamed the government for the devastation caused by recent floods, stating that the ruling authorities should be held accountable whenever people suffer due to such disasters.
Elahi, speaking to the media after attending a court hearing on Tuesday, criticized the government’s failure to provide timely warnings about the flood and its inaction regarding illegal housing societies built on riverbeds. He argued that these developments contributed to the severity of the flooding.
He pointed out that this year’s flood was unprecedented, causing immense damage not only to lives but also to crops and livestock. Elahi expressed his commitment to helping the flood-affected people, mentioning that he was heading to his hometown of Gujrat, where relief goods were being distributed.
Elahi further claimed that during his tenure as chief minister from 2002 to 2008 and in 2022, he had initiated significant development projects in Gujrat, including the laying of sewer lines. However, he said that the PML-N government had halted the funding for the project three years ago, leading to delays in progress.
He asked the current government to explain why it had stopped the project’s funding, adding that the fault lay with them. He emphasized that the government should be held responsible whenever floods cause loss of life and property.
Earlier, the FIA Special Court heard a money laundering case against Elahi, with the prosecutor instructed to provide arguments on September 27 regarding his acquittal plea. Elahi’s lawyer, Amir Saeed Rawn, accused the government of fabricating false cases against him and noted that the court had canceled the arrest warrants for the PTI leader following his appearance.
