Today is August 14. It is the day when Pakistan
came into being. It is a coincidence that this scribe has to visit
a religious institution in Gaddap area. People who have visited
this area before must be aware of the fact that this was once famous
for its greenery and standing crops. Today these lands have become
baron on account of our wrong doings and ill-planning. Our luck
is also there that we face such a situation in this regard. There
was no river or canal water in the surroundings of this area and
now the water level in the soil has also gone down to over 400 feet.
Today is the situation that you wont find standing golden crops
of wheat, corn, millet, and branches of huge tree which have bent
down and touching the ground because of weight of fruits on them.
You wont see such scenes, however, you can easily find a number
of picnic points, swimming pools, places to sing and dance without
any interference and other farms that provide worldly relief. There
are farms where one has to pay Rs10,000 or more to spend just one
night in so called ‘peace’. Affluent people come here,
spend hundreds of thousands of rupees to have fun in the night with
music and other anti-social activities. There are people who come
here along with the team of musicians and pollute the pious and
natural environment with the voices of non-Islamic instruments.
There some farms, so called recreational places, where a nominal
entry fee is charged. It is not necessary that only anti-social
people visit here. Respectable families also come here to enjoy
open air environment. But it was the Independence Day of Pakistan.
It was free for all. People coming here had crossed all limits of
indecency. Long queues of vehicles particularly the two-wheelers
without silencers, adding a lot noise pollution into the environment.
Each motorcycle was bearing the injustice of providing pleasure
to more than two riders. Most youth on motorbikes carried national
flags. They were passing nonsense and filthy remarks to the others
particularly the female picnickers. New generation youth riding
four-wheelers were playing their cassette or CD players at the highest
volume. It was difficult to understand which were the national flags
and which were the veils of young girls waving in the air. What
a celebration was it. Was it the scene of independence of Pakistan
or independence and liberty to do anything without any fear. Such
scenes were not confined to Gaddap only but the entire country was
in the grip of such anti-social activities. If it was like a ‘feast
in the forest’ then the cities were presenting scene of wildlife.
The city of lights from the beaches to Saddar Bazaar up to the mausoleum
of the founder of the nation, Quaid-I-Azam Muhammad `Ali Jinnah,
and all parks, clubs, hotels etc, were unwillingly inundated with
such scenes of independence day celebrations. Bumper-to-bumper traffic
was making it difficult to find an easy way to the destination.
Vehicles were hitting each other like people enjoy drinks while
striking goblets pronouncing ‘chairs’. This situation
was giving a feeling as we have really become independent. Doesn’t
matter if we have lost one part of our country. We still have Pakistan.
And people with big heart do not wring their hands if they lose
anything. They do not give up hope. Never feel deprived. But they
try to mould themselves in existing situation. They do not allow
calamities to interfere in their ‘fun and fair’ activities.
At a time when people were busy with their celebrations, clubs and
hotels were full of guests, and millions of rupees were being spent
on enjoyment, Pakistan’s two cities, Badin and Thar, at a
couple of hundreds miles away from the port city, were hit in the
grip of natural calamities. Small children, men, women, and elderly
people were looking under open sky for philanthropists and donor
agencies to extend them a helping hand, to provide them food and
medicines. These two cities were badly hit by the recent rains and
floods, which swept hundreds and villages. Floods washed away mosques,
houses, schools, medical centers and dispensaries. Wells, the only
source of drinking water for the local people were filled with sewage,
leaving them with no other option to have potable water. All standing
crops of sugarcane and chilies, which are said to be the main crops
of these areas, were destroyed. Sugar mills, where local people
work and earn bread and butter for their families came to a halt
after becoming inundated with flood water and sewage. Machineries
became rusted and stocks of sugarcane became rotten.
This situation has rendered the local people jobless for at least
one year. Outbreak of epidemics in the aftermath of floods has added
more to the people. Innocent children and elderly people are worst
affected. Outbreak of diarrhoea, whooping cough, fever, malaria,
measles and other such diseases are claiming lives of people who
have no access to medical treatment. Women are mourning over the
death of their children having their bodies in their hands. While
on the other side of the picture, people living in luxurious houses,
enjoy heavy downpour. Most of them, during good times, take a pleasure
trip to Badin and Thar areas. But when these areas are hit by the
natural calamities, nobody bothers to go there witness the plight
of people there and extend them financial support. There is an apprehension
that after the rains stopped and flood level receded, people think
that the calamity is over and people there have started living a
normal life. No! The situation is still grim. Latest reports and
photographs of the area narrate the misery of the people. Some photographs,
which the Dharb-I-Mu'min photographer took on August 14, show pathetic
situation. A flood relief team of Al-Rasheed Trust is working day
and night in the flood-hit areas providing the people with food
items, bedding, drinking water and medicines besides setting up
medical camps to deal with emergency cases. The photographer of
Dharb-I-Mu'min is also accompanying the Al-Rasheed Trusts flood
relief team. |
