Instead of writing a detailed article, please accept this as a humble plea. Please open your hearts, as things are really bad in Pakistan. Now the estimated figure is that 4 crore (40 million) people have been affected and displaced people are left with nothing. UN today said 3 million childern are potential target of water borne diseases like cholera because they don’t have clean drinking water. In their areas where ever flood passed it contaminated local water resources and it is no longer drinkable. A lot of Pakistani city names that you used to hear, are now under water.

So far more than 25 cities with a population from 500,000 to 1 million are under water. We can imagine as countless villages and small localities would have succumbed to the ferocious flood waves and may not even got attention to the major affectee count. The major problem with the stranded public is the accessibility as most of the road infrastructure, bridges have been swept away. With new estimates it will take Pakistan at least 15-20 years to be able to re-develop that infrastrcuture. But that is long term, right now people are hungry! There are scenes where mother has seen two of her childern die of hunger infront of her but she had nothing to feed them. Now it has been establsihed this is the world’s largest recorded calamity. I don’t know why this is not making world headlines.

Some of you may not be happy with the government or Pakistan’s political image degradation might have created a sense of indifference. But rest assured that the people who have tarnished the image of Pakistan may be less than one percent of the one percent. Rest of the people are just like us albiet may be poorer but exactly like us. I am pointing out because people are not donating enough. Please understand that calamity and its scale is way bigger than Tsunami or Haiti’s earthquake or any other natural disaster in the recent history.

Please donate generously, wherever you think you should, just do it. If you don’t trust the official funds, give it to any indvidual or organisation which you trust but please do it. Time is running out. If we don’t act now, God forbid, we might get some disastrous news from that part of the world and at that time trillions of dollar may not be able to do anything. Timing is really important, please donate now!

1. Sher Zaman

   The extent of damage is unimaginable; almost 20 million have been affected and thousands fear the spread of diseases and epidemics, once the water recedes. The foreign as well as aid from within Pakistan is necessary for the survival of these people.

   - August 17, 2010
2. Ahmed Iqabalabadi

   It is also a request that people plan their donations over a period of time. this is a calamity which has no end as the rehabilitation is something which can cause a lot of trouble to the people and the government

   - August 18, 2010