Unprecedented Floods and Donor Fatigue -by Bahadar Ali Khan
Yesterday seven people were killed only by snake biting in the flood ravaged areas of Pakistan. The deadly Python are increasing the sufferings of the flood victims in the Southern Punjab and now Sind. While entire transportation infrastructure in Khyber-Pakhtunkhaw has been swept away, out of 5000 km roads only 350 has survived the ferocious flood waves. Out of 280 bridges only seven are left now. Swat, Malakand is cut off from rest of the province and around one million population is besieged there because all the connecting bridges have been taken away by flood. Estimated cost of initial damage for Khyber only is more than $2B. While known number of casualties in just one province have exceeded 1400.
Overall in Pakistan this is the biggest calamity to have hit this country ever in its history. Unlike the 2005 earthquake, the scale of destruction is huge and comprises the entire Pakistan. Crops worth billions of dollars have been destroyed, estimated 350 thousand houses are there no more. 14 million people are living under the open skies. They are fasting there without food, medicine and are victims to potential disease outbreaks and insects. The scale of the disaster is unimaginable, hospitals, schools and other infrastructure cease to exist. There is widespread understanding that Pakistan has been pushed back for at least 15 years. UN is calling it even the worst disaster than 2004 Tsunami.
But the problem is nobody is donating the money! Our media is focusing on the shoe hurled at Zardari. Government is defending that there was no shoe attack. Heated debates are being conducted over national media with appropriate time for commercial breaks. The fun and chatter of bickering politicians on the TV is continued. Political point scoring is at its peak. Zardari is planning for another trip. This time to Russia, though he has shortened it now. Though it could safely have been cancelled. This is the state of affairs in Pakistan!
Donors are not contributing enough this time. So far Prime Minister’s fund has received just Rs. Four million! Once the flood waters recede the ominous task of of rehabilitation of the homeless would commence. To put it mildly, it would be like re-building half of the country. Crops, cattle and other valuable of ordinary Pakitsani he owned, are there no more. A huge funding is required. No single state can do it. All of us need to realize that the magnitude of the destruction is huge and has unfortunately could not be projected as it was supposed to be. Because of our deepest interest in the dynamics and heat of politics we took it light and on Facebook and other social networks a vast majority of Paksitanis were busy in unfolding the ‘Joota’ mystry while town after town was getting inundated. Very unfortunate!
Through this post LUBP appeals you to please open your heart and contribute as much as you can. If you feel a credibility issue with the government or any NGO please figure out the people whom you think are honest and hand it over to them. The donor fatigue is visible and understandable but please imagine one quainter of Pakistan has been rendered homeless. We have homes and comforts, please imagine if that is taken away or water destroyed our property, what would be our feeling? This has actually happened in Pakistan and fairly well-to-do people have also been forced to request for two meals a day in a relief camp ( Even relief camps are not many and most of the people are wandering and have no where to go after water took over their homes and properties) .
This is time to act, this is Ramadhan and the best place for your early Fitrana are the needy, helpless and flood-ravaged people out there. Lets keep the political point scoring for some other time. I am purposefully not mentioning any of the charity here.
It is time to sell F-16s and other military hardware to raise funds for flood victims.
People are not donating the money,for this people shall not be blamed,because from when this government has come in power,its only aim how to suck the money of people. Iam surprized still how people of pakistan are alive,This govt. only know how to tax the people,wheather their condition is they can pay or not,it is not their concern.
Why not sell the Agostas to India? It might give you a billion dollars for those three useless subs.
poisonous pythons????? Wow sure smells like a cooked up story.
This is not a test of our government, as they are not capable of any trust. It is a test of us all. Stop complaining for them and start doing what we shoud do for the people.
Yesterday I heard the news that a women (out of hundreds)died of hunger as she had not eaten for 4 consecutive days. I slept with my full belly since even in Ramazan. I feel like I am also responsible for her death as I did nothing for her and countless others out there in open sky.Their misery is a test of us all and not for those SOBs enjoying the echelons of power. Yes they are duly discredited by Allah by shoes and abuses they are receiving and they are unable to face any body. PM fund have received only 4 million due to this trust deficit. Thats good for such scums and the followers of such filths.
Editor’s Note: Sorry Lord Krishna, your comments doesn’t agree with our comments policy. I have to remove it.
Pakistan is not begger nation. We are proud people. Let India and America stick there mony in ass. Only donate to good Islamic charaty. Inshallah India too will suffer more then Pakistan.
Allahu Akhbar!
Pakistan Paindabad!
pls just come forward n help… what has india or us or anybody else got to do with a natures fury….by cursing someone else r lives r not going to improve….first time i am scared for pakistan…