Mian Nawaz Sharif’s remarks during his two-day long visit to Sindh have local as well as national significance. In an unusually friendly gesture he told the media in Nawabshah that he had come in compliance with the President’s directives. While visiting a number of the rain-cum-flood affected districts, Nawaz said he agreed that it was time to forget politics and save the country. At times he was mildly critical, suggesting that the dole outs announced for the homeless were insignificant. He also reminded that had the government accepted his proposal for a permanent flood commission, the losses could have been reduced. Nawaz however stopped short of any harsh criticism. While the PML(N) has already sent aid to the flood hit areas, considering the scale of the calamity it could only be called symbolic. What one expects from the second largest party is to do much more. It is time other political parties also follow suit.
Nawaz was conciliatory as he responded to some of Zardari’s concerns. Maintaining that national leaders should not be afraid of being incarcerated, he said he was willing to put politics aside for the restoration of peace and the safety of the country. He also reminded Zardari that minuscule parties would not have assumed importance if the two mainstream parties had cooperated with one another. While the parliament should be taken into confidence over the Karachi issue, he said the political leadership should sit together for as long as it takes to work out a national agenda. There is a need to consider the proposal besides taking parliament into confidence over the Karachi issue.
One agrees in principal that the government should mobilise its own national resources to deal with natural calamities. But in a disaster of this magnitude, this may not sometimes remain practical. What is needed in such cases is to rely basically on one’s own resources while mobilising unobtrusive friends like Iran, which has announced $100m in aid of victims, also for help.