By: Asem Mustafa Awan
Water makes its own course and masses in millions are affected. Relief though is there yet it is very little. The recent rains have resulted in urban flooding and it has shown the capacity of government and civic service providers.
The rain in the past in any part of the country resulted in water getting accumulated in low lying areas. Lahore the provincial metropolis of Punjab couldn’t sustain two hours of rains while same goes for other cities where a brief spatter of rain exposed the inability of the municipalities.
The water on quite a few occasions did reach the august house ‘the parliament’ but it was not enough to make them thoughtful of the plight of the masses drowning with unheard screams.
The twin cities Islamabad and Rawalpindi with the latter getting battered more with less rainfall as compared to Islamabad, has many a times shown what rain does, 2003 floods in Rawalpindi is still fresh in the memories. Jehlum almost drowned and the lessons learned were never taken into consideration to plan for future.
The water on quite a few occasions did reach the august house ‘the parliament’ but it was not enough to make them thoughtful of the plight of the masses drowning with unheard screams. The politicians have a plethora of other problems as how to get their names out from inquiries over abuse of power and corruption.
The water knocking at the doors of policy makers failed to ring bells of impeding danger the nation is now faced with.
The biggest problem for any developing country is food sustainability, health, education and sanitation.
Pakistan is now compared and placed a lot low from many African countries in Human Development Index. The reason only being as Pakistan in the past has been termed as a ‘graveyard of development projects’.
The untold tales of corruption with perpetrators going all scot-free has been an established norm and it continues to date. The inquiries in National Accountability Bureau resulted in recovering a mere pittance from the corrupt who gobbled up billions of rupees making Pakistan and its residents poor.
These corrupt with dual rather multiple nationalities got the loot stashed in Switzerland and off shore companies which are safe heavens. Many of them died abroad as without a word but their deeds are recorded in history of Pakistan and the damage caused by their actions.
Pakistan has been blessed with all four weathers and it has all one could dream off minus the system which has disappointed generation before and generations who are to come after.
The respite as promised is a promise made by governments which has never been kept in reality but has been in media to befool the masses for decades.
The lessons from these rains now and before have down poured in abundance but sadly none of them were adhered and nothing was done for contingency.
The recent urban flooding in different cities of the country show the inability of the local officials who amassed millions in the form of perks and privileges but delivered nothing due to their incompetency besides political appointment.
These so called servants of the people should be held responsible and should be made an example for the loss of men and material.
Human life in Pakistan is a cheap commodity and commoner in Pakistan has no life. All the funds from international donors are amassed on the name of poor for poverty alleviation but sadly poor get poorer and funds accumulators get fatter.
Karachi for decades was faced with sanitation problems as funds were not spent or they were spent on schemes which were non-existent. The debates in parliament have fiery speeches from accusers and defendants and provide a great laugh for viewers who know that this is all talk and nothing concrete and all are closely related.
The death toll officially is debatable as not all facts have been told to the commoner who are always kept in the dark.
The K Electric responsible for many a people electrocution made honourable Chief Justice pointing out directly at Managing Director of the company to be named in First Investigation Report of every electrocution. K Electric has blood of many an innocents will it be held accountable for the death is a question that will remain unanswered.
Karachi now suffers as besides sinking it has no electricity and releasing the electricity will result in many a deaths. The question arise when the money is collected from consumers why is it not spent on up-gradation of services.
How many more will die when K Electric will start compensating the poor. It is always the poor who goes out and get electrocuted in quest for warm and dry shelter as the older one is inundated by the rain.
Everyone is blaming the other while the one who suffer dies. The ‘Russian Roulette’ has the key players revolving the chamber which stays empty and never fires.
Karachi while sinking has people coming out to carry the rescue army, rangers, police all are trying to quell the desperate mob which is frustrated and angry while others Sailani, Edhi, Chippa are coming with food. These efforts are not enough to cater to Karachi which is mega city of the world.
Efforts are there but not enough and the grief stricken faces of people in ghettos and slums tell all. They have no food and water and their shelters all washed away.
There are nearly 600 slums in Karachi and thousands live there on day to day basis. If this rain continues what will happen to these people. The land grabbers besides contractor, cement and role iron mafias all have made life next to impossible. The cheap houses world over were never allowed in Pakistan by these people as their loot was affected. The simple structure provided shelter and warmth and was replaceable and its import would have crashed down the building prices which these ‘blood suckers’ never wanted.
Pakistan is going through turmoil how long these mafia’s will last only time will tell but rains have exposed a plethora of problems and Prime Minister Imran Khan should take immediate action as human lives are at stake which sadly is ‘very cheap’ in ‘land of the pure’ and is unaccounted for.