The Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today asked all the Deputy Commissioners to personally visit the families of Punjabis who have safely returned from Iraq for extending all possible help and support to them in this hour of crisis.Disclosing this here today a spokesperson of the Chief Minister's Office said that Mr. Badal also directed his Cabinet colleagues to keep close liaison with the aggrieved families, whose kin had either arrived or still trapped in the strife torn Iraq, to ensure all sort of necessary support besides apprising them about the steps being taken for their early return. He said that this initiative on the part of Ministers and Deputy Commissioners would go a long way in instilling a sense of confidence and belongingness amongst them.
The Chief Minister also announced to grant financial assistance of Rs.20,000 per month to the distressed families of 40 Punjabis stuck up in Mosul in order to bail them out from the financial stringency in these difficult times.It may be recalled that the Chief Minister personally met Union External Affairs Minister Mrs. Sushma Swaraj at Delhi last week on this issue to seek her personal intervention for prompt release of the Punjabis and secure safe return to their homeland. He also had a subsequent meeting with the Joint Secretary (Gulf & Haj) of MEA Mr. Mridul Kumar to work out the modalities for their release and safe return to Punjab. He also called up the Indian Envoy in Iraq several times to inquire about the well being of the Punjabis trapped over there.
Badal also led a deputation of their family members along with the MPs from the State to the Union External Affairs Minister urging her to ensure the safe return of these Punjabis stuck up in Mosul at the earliest. Recently, the Member Rajya Sabha Mr. Naresh Gujral on the directions of Chief Minister also called on Mrs. Swaraj for the immediate release of the Punjabis stuck up there especially of those trapped in Mosul.The Chief Minister was getting regular updates about the latest developments on this issue by the MEA and the former Envoy to Iraq Mr. Suresh Reddy, who had been specially deputed by the GoI to oversee the rescue operation of Indians stuck up in the war torn country.