Ramazan Package fails to yield desired results

KARACHI - The Ramazan Relief Package announced by the Sindh government in haste failed to yield desired results, creating embarrassing situation for the government even in the interior Sindh, which is considered as the stronghold of the PPP.
Instead of getting some appreciation from the public for its good performance, as was being expected by the official quarters, the Sindh government received only brickbats from the public following the police resorted to lathi charge to control the mob gathered to get cheap wheat flour.
The government has announced to set up 648 sale points for cheap wheat flour, of which 284 were established in Karachi while 400 to be set up in 22 districts of the province. However, no planning or strategy was chalked out in advance in this regard and the intended good gestures of government turned sour when protests were staged at a number of points.
It is said that since the announcement was made in a hurry and without prior planning, the number of sale points could not be set up on time which led to chaotic situation at the functioning outlets.
People were irked mostly by short supply of flour at the stalls. The revenue staff continued to sell flour bags amid disturbances while majority of people had to return empty handed.
At utility stores, all other items not much in demand including cooking oil, species, and cosmetics were available except sugar which was in huge demand.
It is to be noted, scores of male and female got injured when police resorted to baton charge in a number of towns and cities of upper and lower parts of province to control the crowd.
A large number of needy people including women continued to wait for the cheap wheat flour from dawn to dusk in Jacobabad, Sukkur and adjoining areas but retuned empty hands as they failed to get the charity announced by the chief executive of the province.