By Usman Mujtaba Leghari
DERA GHAZI KHAN: Massive rains have unleashed a literal devastation in across Dera Ghazi Khan and Rajanpur Districts as thousands of dwellers have either are facing hardship or have been shifted out of the region.
Worst flash-flood have wreaked havoc in Taunsa Sharif, Nari, Mangrotha, Sokar, Retra, Tibbi Qaisrani, Litra, Vehowa, Jallo Wali, Dagar Wali, Mithay Wali, Lakhani and other towns leaving dozens of people drowned and killed while others injured.
While millions of acres of land is inundated by floodwater as over 200 villages have been affected. Local sources say that 50 villages have been completely under water as dwellers have lost their mud-houses, food resources, tube-wells and wells while graveyards have been turned into barren land.
Communication services have been broken and transportation has been suspended due to broken and submerged roads. More than 50,000 acres of ready to harvest crops have been destroyed. There is no dry land left to burry the dead.
While the people are crying for help, local authorities are hard to find. The political and bureaucratic elites are also missing while the INGOs are also absent. People are asking if they cannot help their own citizens what do they expect in return? They can be insensitive to feel their pain but they should be mindful of the fact that their vote bank lives in this area, don’t fill their hearts with hatred!
Reportedly, the Government has officially not taken any action or sent any kind of help yet. The people of Taunsa have come to the streets and raised their voices with banners and protested for food and medicine. Today at Liberty Chowk Lahore Community from Taunsa Sharif raised their voice against the insensitivity of government. The people in the question are the same to where the Ex Chief Minister Punjab Sardar Usman Ahmed Khan Buzdar belonged.
Sub-Tehsil Vehowa which comprises of more than 70 thousand population has met a huge devastation caused by the Hill Torrents. The only flood safety wall which had saved the city previously has been completely ruined, 70% population of Vehowa is affected, the only graveyard of the city which had almost thousand graves in it, is now left with only few stones. The flood has completely damaged the water supply pipelines because of which people have lost the only source of drinking water. Highly deprived people of Vehowa are now more depressed and desperate by the carelessness of the Elected Leaders of the Region.
They even tried to convey their message to their elected ministers who are sitting miles away through video message but their grief is listened and ignored. Out of rage people even commenced that they will not spare Mr. Khawaja Shiraz Mehmood sitting MNA of the constituency and MPA Mr. Khawaja Daood Sulemani for sending only one excavator to help the whole region.
Not to forget their anger has been escalated as these two persons were responsible for the removal of Sardar Usman Buzdar from his CM-ship. Among the noticeable and unforgettable services of the Non Government Organizations, Al Khidmat Foundation will never be forgotten for doing commendable job for the rehabilitation of the people of Vehowa and its suburbs.
Azizullah Qaisrani, the leader of Al Khidmat Foundation Vehowa – this name will be written with Golden Words in the history of rehabilitation of Vehowa during these crucial circumstances. Regional political leader Sardar Farooq Khan Khetran and President of Anjuman e Tajraan Haji Ashraf Mehmood Leghari expressed their grievances over the government and condemned for their silence over the heart wrenching situation of Saraiki Waseb.
They said that people from Saraiki Waseb have always helped the calamity-hit regions of upper Punjab whenever needed in the past, when they need you today, the provision of excavator is a fair contribution? We need your help don’t forget our services from the past. Besides all the woes of the rural community they still salute their regional leaders for their selfless devotion and care for them.
Sooner or later, this time shall pass too. But it is a humble request to the governing bodies in general and the elected bodies in particular that people are investing their hopes in you. They have lost their families, their houses, their lifetime possessions, their everything which belongs to them for their survival.
They are helping themselves with minimal resources to let themselves breathe and find a reason to live again. Please provide them basic resources, provide them food and shelter, bring machinery for the removal of stagnant water, provide medical services to let them fight with growing diseases and give them a reason to live.
