Tharparkar, a desert region in Pakistan is yet again suffering from one of the worst famines in its history. The area received very little rainfall in the past year resulting in the ongoing famine.
A question arises: Did the Pakistan government not learn from the preceding famines that have repeatedly targeted the area in the past? How could the bureaucracy turn a blind eye when they knew the area hardly received any rainfall in the past year?
Were the ruling elites of Sindh (a province of Pakistan) waiting for more than 120 people to lose their lives before they started off with the relief work?
It is only after the media took notice of the terrible conditions of the people living in that area, that the issue was brought into the limelight.
Where was the Chief Minister of Sindh while all this time people were dying due to malnutrition? Oh, wait! Maybe the bureaucracy was too engrossed in celebrating the Sindh Festival, where millions from the exchequer were literally wasted on nothing.
Tharparkar is an arid region in Sindh. It continues off into India and forms the Rajasthan desert. The region comprises of six districts and almost all of them barely received rain in the previous year.
It is extremely unfortunate that the authorities who the locals look up to for help, are way too conceited. They believe that the residents of the area, in times such as these, migrate to nearby areas temporarily and return once the drought period has passed. It is sad to hear such statements by the so labeled "caretakers" of the province.
The death toll, which is on a continuous rise, is mainly because of lack of food and water. Also, the occupants of Thar own a good amount of livestock which is their major source of income. The animals which mostly include camels, cows, goats and sheep are dying in large numbers because of rampant outbreak of diseases.
Along with a shortage of doctors in the area, there aren't enough hospitals to cater to the humongous populace which is suffering. With the conditions of the people deteriorating as each day is passing, it can only be hoped that the people of Thar do not have to face an epidemic in the midst of all this.
The government has lately announced the distribution of wheat bags along with other nutritious food supplies and medicines to be dispatched to the residents.
The higher authorities, as always, are involved in the blame game; however, at this critical point they should be focused on the appalling state of the people and simply lend out helping hands rather than leaving them out to paddle their own canoe.