Every Pakistani is well aware of terrorism, unemployment, inflation, injustice, forced labour, disappearances, blasphemy against minorities, discrimination against women, custodial deaths, torture and so on as these are the challenges they are face on a daily basis in their lives. Now there is another challenge for impoverished Pakistanis: famine; like the conditions faced in the desert area of Tharparker, in Sindh province. After killing the live stock, birds and animals (peacocks, cows, sheep, parrots, deer, camels and goats) of these people this ghost has turned its evil eye towards Thari people and has claimed the lives of 40 children within two months.
Drought in the desert remote areas of Pakistan is natural but the death of people is not. It is due to lack of facilities and irresponsibility of people who are appointed to selected posts that have engulfed the lives of 121 innocent people within the few months. The number can be even more than this as these people are trying to hide the actual figures as the irresponsibility of the elected leaders has made the situation worst in Thar. They are now giving lame excuses and statements in order to escape responsibility from their criminal acts. According to a report to the media by the chief minister who is a feudal lord of Sindh Province the ratio of higher deaths is common and it is due to disease, it is not only because of drought or malnutrition. However, it we examine the situation many questions will arise, if the deaths are not because of malnutrition then what to the weak bodies of children reflect? If, indeed, the deaths are due to disease then why there were not enough facilities available for the victims to save their lives. On the other side the Commissioner of Mirpurkhas Sindh reported that they had not distributed 60,000 bags of wheat among the Thari people who are living in remote areas because of lack of money for transport.
What a shameful statement to make! In a country where millions of rupees are spent on mega festivals arranged by the ruling party and the leaders go on official tours to other countries they openly admit that they have no money to transport vitally needed food rations.
When the elections were approaching these leaders visited the poor people, begged for the votes and made promises for their welfare but when they are elected they have nothing to do with the people, their problems or their welfare.
Thar is famous because of its beauty in the rainy season and reserves of coal. However, the people living off the lack basic life facilities. They have broken roads, few reserves of clean water, shortage of food, schools and the hospitals in poor conditions, lacking in doctors, staff, nurses, medicines, beds, and machinery and so on.
Around 175,000 families have migrated from the remote areas of Thar to other areas of Sindh for their survival. But according to our leaders that migration to other areas of Sindh is also common. If, indeed, everything is ‘common’ for our leaders then why are they needed at their jobs?
The drought did not just happen suddenly. These people have been facing such difficulties for months. According to the Thari people they are migrating from their parental homes to barrages in order to save the lives of their poor families. They mostly depend on the live stock which is already too weak and unable to move with them to other places and cover the distance. The weak bodies of their wives are unable to feed their children because of which their children are dying due to different diseases.
Since independence these people have been living in difficulty. Regardless of the climate changes the government has not taken enough measures to save their lives. It is only now when the situation has become so severe that the government announced aid for them.
It is our humble request to our political leaders to please create a solid strategy to save the lives of these poor people. Attention must be paid to saving their livelihoods on which their lives depend. These policies should be on a long term basis, not for temporary relief. Instead of spending huge budgets on cultural events and unnecessary official tours invest money on the basic needs of these people in order to save their lives and solve their problems. If proper steps are not taken then the time is not far off when other feudal lords or leaders will celebrate their festivals on the ruins of thar and too late they will remember the rich culture of Thari people.
About the Author: Nida Paras is working on youth issues in Pakistan and is office bearer of Progressive Youth Forum (PYF) Pakistan. She can be reached at: nida@ahrc.asia
