AIR MARSHAL (Retd) AYAZ AHMED KHAN
The photograph of a man wading through neck deep water with his wife and daughter clinging to him and his son holding his neck, is a vivid and graphical portrayal of the flood havoc. The photographer must have gone into neck deep water for this photograph. In the West-USA, Europe, Canada, Australia and Japan he would be acclaimed a national hero, for awakening national conscience. Alas- here the conscience of the powerful, the rich and the mighty is dead. They do not wish to be bored by flood news or photos, but the conscience of the people is not dead, and inshallah soon we will see the people rushing to the hinterland of Sind to help the flood victims.
The four heavy spells of rain during the last one month-mid August to mid September, flooded and inundated half of rural Sind, and Metropolis Karachi. The southern Sind districts have become virtual lakes. Four million people have been rendered homeless. Hungry and destitute men, women and children are in need of urgent help. With President Asef Ali Zardari getting "treated" in London, Prime Minister Yusuf Reza Gilani wisely cut short his Tehran visit, and tried to comfort the flood victims by kind words and visits. But action is required more than appeals for aid and photo session visits. Mian Nawaz Sharif and Punjab Chief Minister Shabaz Sharif reached Badin and other flood hit places with hundreds of food trucks. But their one time visit is not enough. They should have created infrastructure to rescue, shelter and feed the flood victims. Their visits must be followed by large scale food and medical assistance. But where is the Sind government, the minister and PPP and MQM leaders. They are invisible from the scenes of flood disaster. Leading PPP leaders and stalwarts like Zulfikar Mirza, Amin Fahim and Dr Fardous Asiq Awan were not with the flood victims. Dr Fardous in a TV appearance made several promises, which have yet to materialize. Reportedly Zulfikar Mirza was in Dubai, with DCO Badin, and with other buddies-both politicians and officials, who found it convenient to disappear from their posts and duty. The callousness of the rulers and the rich and the powerful to leave the stricken people to their fate is shameful. The helpless people of Sind have been left at Allah's mercy. Allah please help them. Allah please save the destitute and starving men, women and children from disease, hunger and death.
After last years flood havoc, no lesson was learnt, and no preparation made to save the people from the repeat tragedy. The Provincial Disaster Management Authority was not only napping but has remained in slumber, and has failed to rescue, aid, shelter and feed the afflicted people. With Sind Relief Commissioner as Chairman and all provincial Secretaries as members, the SDMA was expected to a vibrant institution. Other important members are IG Sind Police, Vice Chancellors of Sir Syed University of Engineering and Technology, Vice Chancellors of NED, Mehran, and Federal Urdu University, Chief of Sind Met department and a senior Army Officer from No 5 Corps. Yet the SDMA has yet to wake up and start helping the afflicted people. There are reports of in-fighting and feuds between the Federal and the Provincial Disaster Management Authorities. It will be better to sack all feuding and work shirking officials and disband the Sind DMA.
Last year the military- Army, Air Force and the Navy had launched massive rescue and relief operations, which included provision of food and medical aid to the affected millions across Pakistan. The dozens of camps set up by the military, had provided tented shelter, food and medical help to over hundred thousand flood victims. This time the armed forces are engaged in rescue operations in some areas of the province and no more. The armed forces must move into Sind immediately and initiate operations to rescue, shelter and feed the flood afflicted people. The Pakistani military has the expertise, capability and motivation to save the people during floods, earthquakes and natural disaster. They need to move in, as they did last year. The Prime Minister should order the armed forces of Pakistan to rescue and assist the flood victims without delay. The Sind government remained confused and hesitant to call in the Army, while the target killers in Karachi were decimating hundreds every week. Assistance and aid of the flood victims is beyond the capability of the de-motivated, and inefficient provincial government. Chief Minister Sind must immediately request the Prime Minister to order all federal agencies, especially the armed forces to set up camps to provide shelter, medical and food aid, and security to the flood victims. And this must be done without delay.
While the officialdom is in a state of paralysis as usual, the top leaders have not gone beyond appeals to the nation to help the afflicted millions. Prime Ministers Gilani's television address to the nation and his widely published appeals should move the heart of the nation, and must not be ignored. He said, "Recent heavy rains in Sind have rendered four million people homeless, and hungry. On their behalf I appeal to every one of you to come forward and help your brothers and sisters in this hour of need. I request you to deposit your cash in Prime Ministers relief Fund-2011 Account No: G 12145." People of Pakistan are not heartless, and need to step forth as they did last year. While the NGO's have yet to get organized and set up camps in the flood hit villages and towns, people at large seem to be hesitant to give donations, suspecting that the donations will be pocketed by corrupt officials and donation collectors. This reflects lack of faith of the people in the establishment. Politicians and officials need to develop a new sense of urgency and get down to work for the poor affilicted sincerely and selflessly. The homeless and starving people of Sind, do not know to whom to turn to, in their hour of need. With homes and hearths ravaged, crops destroyed, stored grain, cattle and hay swept away by the merciless flood, the plight of the people will lead to thousands of deaths and large scale disease and epidemics outbreak. According to reports, eight million cattle have been swept away by the flood. Students, doctors, nurses need to volunteer and set up own N.G.O's to take care of the flood victims. They did it last year. They in the light of the experience gained last year, could organize rescue and aid on self help basis to avert deaths from starvation and disease.m
In a moving interview on DAWN TV, celebrated anchorman Talat Hussian who had visited Badin, Tharparkar, Umar Kok, Mirpur Khas, Tando Allahayar, Tando Mohammad Khan, and Hyderabad, narrated vividly the plight of the people, and the heartlessness of politicians and officials. His description of men, women and children wading through neck deep water towards safety with their few belongings should have caused grief, remorse, and anguish at the suffering of fellow countrymen. The sight of starved people with hollows round their eyes, pleading for food, helplessness of starved children unable to ward-off flies from their faces, should evoke our conscience; and forgetting our own comforts, as Muslims we need to go out into interior Sind to save the lives of our brothers and sisters, and kids, who will die if we do not help them to survive.
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Editor,
Tariq Khattak, Islamabad, Pakistan.
GSM = 0300-9599007 and 0333-9599007
Email: Tariqgulkhattak@gmail.com
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