Islamabad, Aug. 25: Most Pakistani politicians have not matched the contributions made by Hollywood star Angelina Jolie and the national cricket team for the millions of people affected by devastating floods sweeping the country.
Jolie recently contributed $100,000 or PakRs 8.5 million for flood victims more than the PakRs 5 million each donated by ruling Pakistan People Party chief and President Asif Ali Zardari and Altaf Hussain, head of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement.
The Pakistan cricket team has donated win bonuses worth PakRs 4.62 million ($54,400) from the victory over England in the third Test last week to flood relief efforts significantly higher than the cash contributions of most political leaders.
Besides, the Pakistan Cricket Board announced last week it would donate PakRs 11,42 million ($ 134,000) to flood relief on behalf of players and employees.
Very few Pakistani politicians and parliamentarians have set such an example through their donations.
Some leaders, including Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and leaders of the PML-Q, Awami National Party and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam, have only donated in kind.
“The Prime Minister has already said that he does not believe in cash contribution and thus he did not deposit money in the fund, but his son in Multan dispatched many trucks of goods on behalf of the family,” Shabbir Anwar, Gilani's press secretary, told the media.
Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaaf chief Imran Khan has donated PakRs 500,000 in cash and his party is involved in fund-raising campaigns.
PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif, Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif and their family have donated about PakRs 25 million in kind and nothing in cash. A PML-N spokesman even criticised Zardari for contributing only Rs Pak5 million.
Zardari announced a donation of PakRs 2.5 million during his recent visit to Britain and contributed another PakRs 2.5 million to the Prime Ministers Flood Relief Fund.
His children Bilawal Zardari-Bhutto, Bakhtawar and Asifa have established a fund in Britain to collect donations from overseas Pakistanis and others.
In a reflection of the differences between the PML-N and the ruling PPP, senior PML-N leader Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan has reportedly asked party members to donate to the Punjab Chief Minister's Relief Fund instead of the Prime Minister's fund.