Ruling elites vanished after rains wreak havoc in Sindh, Balochistan

Ruling elites have vanished from public appearance after monsoon rains wreaked havoc in Sindh and Balochistan, causing huge financial and life losses to the citizens.

The elected lawmakers are nowhere to be found amid the relief operation except making senseless decisions and issuing notifications having no effective solution to the citizens awaiting for immediate help in flood-hit areas.

The statistics of great loss were enough for anyone to be shaken amid the new weather predictions of a new spell of monsoon rains in Sindh, Balochistan and other parts of the country.

According to the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) Sindh, there were 166 reported deaths, 573 injuries, 40,910 partially damaged houses and 6,489 fully damaged properties, whereas, the floods destroyed crops on 810,683 acres of land.

At least 200 houses collapsed only in the ruling Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) stronghold Larkana during the recent spell of rainfall. However, the disasters did not push the Sindh ruling elites including Bilawal Bhutto Zardari to visit the flood-hit areas for witnessing the destruction himself.

The PPP chairman continued to pay foreign visits during the period, however, he recently issued directives to PPP ministers and lawmakers to visit their respective constituencies to lead the flood relief activities.

In Balochistan, the situation was worst as several dams were breached or collapsed, causing floods to the nearby population and life and financial losses to the citizens.

So far, there were 225 reported deaths and hundreds of injuries, whereas, thousands of people were evacuated and others awaiting help from the authorities to get evacuated and rehabilitated.

Instead of actively taking part in the flood relief operations, the Balochistan lawmakers confined themselves to their houses and offices besides holding back-to-back meetings but avoiding being there for helping the flood-hit citizens.

In a recent move, Balochistan schools were closed from August 22 to 27 following the predictions of more rains and a new warning issued for flash floods in different parts of the province.

The major highways connecting to Balochistan were still cut off. Following the disasters, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif contacted Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa for the provision of military helicopters for reaching the stranded citizens in Balochistan.