- As many as 540 reported deaths in the last four months
THARPARKAR: Infants continue to succumb to malnutrition in Sindh’s drought affected district of Tharparkar as three more toddlers fell prey at Mithi’s medical facility to this chronic disease on Friday.
The recent fatalities have risen the number of death toll to 540 during the last four months of the current year in the area. Thar’s situation fails to improve despite relief measures by the Pakistan People’s Party’s (PPP) government in Sindh to address food shortage in the region.
Earlier this week, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari had stressed the need to address malnutrition in the area. This he had stated this while meeting party MPA from the area, Arbab Lutfullah, who met him to brief about the current situation of Thar.
Last week, the elected representatives of Tharparkar were directed to submit a report on the situation in the drought-stricken district by former President and PPP Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari.
Chief minister’s special assistant on human rights, Dr Khatu Mal had met the former president to brief him over the current situation of Thar.
On that occasion, Asif Zardari had said that the people of Thar will not be left alone in this difficult time and directed the provincial government to ensure all humanly possible efforts to provide relief.
On the other hand, Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) recently heard a case related to the drought in Tharparkar at the apex court’s Karachi registry.
He issued directives for the authorities concerned to take substantial steps to improve the miserable situation in Thar.
CJP was informed that distribution of wheat is ongoing in the region and special nutrition package is also being provided to address the issue of malnutrition.
During the hearing, he said that he will visit Thar himself to inspect the situation in the area, where chronic malnutrition continuing to add to the misery of the people living in the drought-hit area.
