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Politics
of hate
It is in times of adversity when nations face natural or man-made calamities are leaders judged and governments evaluated. Claims of being saviors, serving the people either consolidate or stand exposed. The fact is that heavy rains accompanied with floods were forecast a year ago and preventive measures such as building embankments to stop the flow of water could have been built, especially in the light of 2010 floods. Unfortunately, funds were not allocated, nor there existed necessary infrastructure and organizational structure to tackle the challenges posed by such calamities like floods, earthquakes, landslides etc.
It was in January 2022 that thousands of motorists stranded on roads, cars covered with heavy snowfall and scores frozen to death near Murree Hills, within yards of government offices. Nobody within NDMA/PDMA or NHA, nor the elected and paid public office holders were held responsible. It was a natural phenomenon turned into man-made disaster because the Administration did not do enough in three days, while people were trapped in heavy snowfall.
Fast forward to August 2022, heavy rains forecast by Met Office along with floods ravage the country from Swat, Dir, Charsadda etc in the KP to South Punjab, Sindh and Baluchistan, leaving behind a trail of death and destruction. The enormity of sufferings of poor people caught by these floods would melt hearts of many, but not a few with political elite, too involved in their pursuit of power politics, spreading hate while their keyboard warriors were busy targeting political rivals or trolling state institutions. The insensitive remarks by a few send shivers up my spine.
While the large majority of Overseas Pakistanis working in the Gulf, ME etc., who send remittances to support their families, are involved in donations, there were a few in the US etc who are too involved in intra-political party rivalry, spreading venom. One wonders why Indian Diaspora remains united, lobby for India, although they are not dual nationals, but are actively involved in American politics. Sadiq Khan Lord Mayor of London is a rare exception, who has never been a member of any political party in Pakistan, but holds key public office in the UK.
Malik Tariq Ali
Lahore
Lasbela
floods
Lasbela is facing massive floods throughout the district. Thousands of people are affected by this flood and lacking basic needs. People in rural areas are stuck in flood water as their homes have been flattened.
Neither they have shelter, nor food. Their seasonal crops are devastated which was their only livelihood. Local organisations took part in relief operations in this catastrophic situation where the administration failed to alleviate the suffering.
Lasbela is considered industrial zone of Balochistan as well ‘Golden Sparrow. We have national and multinational companies. The local residents gave them their land but in return companies gave nothing except pollution and disease. These companies are requested that they must provide CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) to play their part in social cause.
RAUF MUSTAFA
Lasbela Balochistan
What a great generosity?
It is a bitter and shameful fact that PPP co-chairman, PPP Parliamentarians Chairman, MNA and former President Asif Ali Zardari has billions rather trillions in cash and kind within the country and also in a number of foreign countries about which he himself seems quite ignorant. But his brother-in-law and MNA Mir Munawwar Ali Talpur seems to be quite poor and sources-less. According to reports, Mir Munawwar Talpur visited a flood-hit area in Sindh the other day apparently to distribute relief money among the flood affected people. On seeing him and hearing the noise about his coming, people had gathered there in good numbers already.
Billionaire Asif Ali Zardari’s brother-in-law Mir Munawwar Talpur took out a pack of new currency notes of Rs 50, gave away one each to the much awaiting and expecting people in distress and the trumpets beaten and went away. What a great generosity indeed?
M.Z.RIFAT
LAHORE
Balochistan public service
A new layer of monsoon flood hit Quetta fiercely. Many houses were swept away while many other areas were submerged in flood water.
Apart from this, necessary services have gone away during rain, including mobile networks, electricity, gas, internet service, etc. Additionally, many people became under the wrath of a flood, some of them lost their beloved ones and many other people became shelterless. Unfortunately, the unavailability of the mobile network was a serious issue during the fierce flood because various affected families wanted to contact their relatives or other people for help but they couldn’t do it. As a result, many people have lost their livelihoods and precious lives. To sum up, the government of Balochistan as well as the Federal Government is requested to provide relief packages to the affected families as soon as possible.
MUHAMMAD SHOAIB
Quetta
