Over the course of July and early September 2011, Pakistan experienced the worst monsoon related floods in living memory. Heavy rainfall and flash floods have devastated large parts of Sindh. This flood is recorded as the worst to ravage these areas in past 100 years. The death toll stands at 347 while over 1, 422, 034 houses have been damaged or destroyed in Sindh. Badin Sindh is amongst the worst hit area.
Hundreds of thousand people lost everything including their homes, crops, livestock, and household articles. Only continuous rains of some days compelled thousands of people to leave their sweet homes and settle themselves on the banks of roads, drains and in camps in a hope that our representatives, humanitarian agencies, NGOs, philanthropists and district governments would reach them and provide assistance needed in such situations.
But hopes of majority people changed into despair. Nobody came to help them and they remained unprotected, hungry, thirsty and vulnerable to harsh nature. The first coordination meeting of all NGOs was held in an office in Badin to jot down the miseries, sorrows, damages and initiatives taken by the responsible to manage and tackle the disaster. Meeting started with formal greetings, speeches, and ended with firm decisions bringing new hopes.
While the visits of prime minister, chief minister and many ministers were arranged, announcement to help were made, many reports were published, workshops and trainings were organised, thousands of people are still on the side of roads, drains and high grounds under the sky without food, water, shelter and medicine. Long queues of people, especially elderly women, are seen in Badin town to get basic necessities of life. Minorities and political opponents are being discriminated against.
Badin is fortunate having three DCOs working simultaneously. Offices of many NGOs having staff of outsiders (Pathans, Kashmiries, Punjabis) have been established bringing hike in rents. Religious organisations have been seen active during the first days of flood.
In past, the same religious organisations have been the cause of concerns for western world. But people are still waiting with signed applications for relief and assistance and hoping for the fifth coordination meeting of humanitarian agencies.
FAYAZ HUSSAIN ABRO
Badin