Sultan M Hali
Pakistan is still reeling under the impact of the recent spates of devastating floods, which have wreaked havoc across the country. More than 20 million people having been affected, the death toll has risen over 1600 and an outbreak of epidemic, which may cause more than 3.5 million children’s lives at risk, is causing nightmares to the people. With communication infrastructure having been devastated and schools, colleges, homes, factories and workplaces having been washed away by the deluge, it will take years and billions of dollars to rebuild the lives of people. On top of it, the tottering economy, little or no help from foreign donors and the unabated threat from terror attacks, it will be difficult for Pakistan to meet the challenges alone. Along with the sense of impending doom, there is the realization that we have been let down by successive governments, who failed in the task of water management, falling prey to political whims and deferring the decision to build more dams. The notion that flood water caused so much devastation and the surplus water in a country, which till recently was crying for more water, will see the waters rush to the seas wasted and unutilized for energy irrigation. Rivers and creeks overflowed inundating the entire areas in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP), swamping villages and towns in Punjab, Sindh and Baluchistan and creating real emergency for the people of Pakistan who were least prepared to deal with such an extraordinary challenge. Incessant rains not only brought fresh waves of gushing water but also caused landslides killing many people in Northern Pakistan with districts of Skardu and Hangu most affected. The awesome deluges razed buildings of thickly populated areas leaving thousands marooned and homeless. The communication infrastructure being the worst hit impeded the relief operation. International friends and donors including UN Secretary General made emotional statements but their response remained sluggish and paltry. The people of Pakistan are optimistic that relief effort will gear up soon and their needs will be met. Read More »More dams could have reduced devastation in Pakistan