Flood victims complain over inept govt response to floods in Pakistan

At least 1,325 people have died from floods in Pakistan, leaving the resident of Kambar-Shahdadkot complaining over the lack of help being provided to them despite the tall claims made by the authorities ranging from Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to the provincial bigwigs.

There were various claims that Pakistan authorities made like providing relief to the masses but the statements appeared to be mere words on paper and it doesn't have really any impact on real life, The Express Tribune reported.

Two days earlier, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif visited Shadatkot along with Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and took an aerial view of the flood's devastation.

Sharif later distributed cheques and other relief goods among the flood-affected people.

Notwithstanding the images of the prime minister with the flood victims, there were no or little signs of any government effort on the ground. Over a 100-kilometre stretch, there was only one small relief camp visible which was set up by the PDMA. Even the camp was located at a place where there were hardly any victims could be seen, according to The Express Tribune.

While the federal and provincial authorities blamed the record rains this monsoon season for the catastrophe, locals insist that it was the provincial government responsible for the disaster.

The tragedy is all around Kambar-Shahdadkot, one of the most-affected districts of Sindh, due to the torrential rains and flash floods. The poverty-stricken people were earlier fighting to make a penny for themselves and now they are fighting a battle with hunger, diseases, heat, and authorities' sheer negligence.

For miles, people have been left on their own. They do not have tents, food or clean drinking water. The flood-affected people and animals bath and drank from the stagnant waters standing for days. Mothers bathed their babies in the dirty water, too, while washing clothes. Lack of sanitation is further aggravating their miseries.

Apart from not having proper tents, no clean drinking water is another major problem. Because of this, people were forced to drink contaminated water. Water-borne diseases are on the rise, and children are the hardest hit among them.

Qurban Ali, a furious resident said, "People are dying hungry, why is the government doing this to us," and added, "What is our fault, what have we done."

Qurban like many others was furious at the elected representatives, saying that they haven't visited them let alone provided any relief, reported The Express Tribune.

"No one from the government has come to see us yet," he said. "If anyone claims that he has come here then you can hold us accountable."

"Even a bigger tragedy is unfolding," a doctor in the government-run hospital said as quoted by The Express Tribune.

"The biggest issue is lack of clean drinking water. In the last 2 days alone 3 children have died because of water-borne diseases," the helpless doctor said. "Please take this urgent message to the high-ups. Tell them to do something," he said, in a desperate appeal.

( With inputs from ANI )

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