In the midst of all the callousness, chaos, and confusion Pakistan needs leadership that could sail this country through one of the worst public health crises.
Over 75% of districts in Sindh province are still flooded – and many roads are underwater, the BBC has recently reported.
However, Pakistan’s political leadership and notoriously wealthy families have shown a callous heart to the flood-affected communities.
This has shown a chaotic performance in the face of recent phenomenal floods.
Media reports suggest that nearly one-third of the country was underwater during the peak flooding time.
Melting of glaciers and unprecedented rains caused unprecedented flooding and torrents in the rivers, rivulets, drains, and streams starting in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and spreading south through Punjab, Balochistan, and Sindh.
The biggest flood in the history of the country has affected over 4 million people and killed at least 1300 people.
The Disaster Emergency Committee (DEC) which brings together 15 leading British charities estimated that over 1 million homes have been destroyed or badly damaged, two million acres of crops have been affected, and over 1 million livestock lost (DEC, 2022).
Hundreds of villages in Sindh, Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and South Punjab have been wiped out.
Mothers clutching their innocent children to their chests were seen watching their homes sink with despairing eyes.
There is no courage to describe the current painful scenario.
One of Pakistan’s tragedies is that lifetime possessions sink only for the poor.
After the 2005 earthquake, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) was established in the country which was definitely a timely step in the right direction.
But this institution also seems to be unable to deal with such challenges now because it is not included in the government’s priorities.
Their performance in the face of recent phenomenal floods is negligible if not deplorable.
According to the data of the United Nations agencies, the damage caused by rains and floods to the national production of Pakistan is more than the growth of per capita income.
This loss is considered to be the biggest loss in all Asian countries.
According to data from the International Red Cross, by 2025, more than 50 percent of the world’s developing countries will be at risk of floods and storms, which is certainly a very alarming prediction.
At this critical time, the entire nation has become a victim of chaos due to the stubbornness and egoism of political leaders.
The flood-affected people have lost the savings of their whole lives in rains and floods.
There is a need for the leadership of the country to rise above their own interests and work on an emergency basis to restore the flood-affected people and start a new life for them.
