Bilawal Bhutto Zardari Honors Naval Heroes, Visits Flood-Hit South Punjab

KARACHI / ISLAMABAD / LAHORE / MULTAN ,Ali Imran Chattha

– Chairman of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, on Monday paid tribute to the martyrs and officers of the Pakistan Navy on Navy Day. He also visited flood-affected areas of South Punjab to show solidarity with the victims of the recent calamity.

In a statement from Bilawal House, the PPP Chairman said that Navy Day serves as a reminder of the extraordinary courage and sacrifices of Pakistan’s naval heroes, especially during the 1965 war. He praised the Navy’s historic achievements, including the daring Operation Somnath, which he called a source of pride and inspiration.

Bilawal highlighted that both Quaid-e-Awam Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto had a vision for a strong and modern Navy. He noted that Zulfikar Ali Bhutto laid the groundwork for Pakistan’s self-reliant defense by launching the nuclear program, while Benazir Bhutto modernized the naval force with new technology to ensure regional maritime security. He added that the Pakistan Navy has recently shown its professionalism by successfully defending the country's maritime sovereignty during tensions with India.

Later that day, Bilawal visited Muzaffargarh and Multan to meet with flood victims.² Speaking to the media, he mentioned that Punjab had been the most affected by the recent floods, with devastation also reported in Gilgit and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He noted that the floods have particularly devastated farmers in South Punjab and have severely impacted the country's economy.³ "We stand with the people in this difficult time," he said.

The PPP Chairman urged the federal government to declare an agricultural emergency. He demanded that the government provide free seeds and fertilizers to farmers and waive their electricity bills until the floods end. He called for a joint effort from both federal and provincial governments to provide rescue, relief, and long-term rehabilitation for the victims.⁴ He also appealed to the Prime Minister to use the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) as the best institutional mechanism for assistance and suggested reviewing support price policies for farmers.⁵

Drawing a comparison to Sindh and Balochistan, where housing schemes were initiated for flood victims in 2022, Bilawal urged the Punjab and federal governments to launch similar projects. He called for unity over political point-scoring and requested that the Foreign Minister appeal for international aid, emphasizing that no single government can handle such a large-scale disaster alone.⁶

Bilawal also praised the media for highlighting the suffering of the flood victims and instructed PPP workers to continue assisting those affected in Muzaffargarh, Multan, and other areas. He concluded by stating, "It is the PPP’s philosophy to stand with the people in every difficulty.”