The whole of the country in general and Gilgit-Baltistan is said to be passed through another critical phase. Continual torrential rains, floods coupled with constant landsliding has brought widespread devastation across the country. Land links with numerous far flung places like that of Baltistan, Ghizer, Dimer and Astore district still not restored and it is hard to ascertain exactly the magnitude of loss inflicted by the sudden disaster. According to the media reports dozens of both residential and cattle houses have been ruined,killed more than 80 people and dozens are reportedly said missing while devastated floods have rendered hundreds of people homeless throughout Gilgit-Baltistan region. Rescue operations reinforced with army, police and local volunteers has affected following land sliding and expected flooding. Washing away of bridges and land properties in various district has served to create fear and anxiety among the masses. Virtually, except few cities and towns, wicked waves of torrential rains have destroyed the country right from Gilgit-Baltistan in the North to Tattah in the South and Kharan in the South-West.
Heavy rain pour coupled with ligthning, flesh floods have inflicted devastation across low lying areas along Indus and its tributeries in Khyber Pakhtoonkhawa, Punjab, Sindh,Balochistan, Gilgit-Baltistan and AJK as well, innundating hundreds of villages, damaged thousands of property, killing around 1500 people and leaving aroung 1.2 million homeless accumulately. The situation continues to worsen as various areas of central, Western and Southern province, Tendoilahiyar, Dera Ghazi Khan, for instance, remained disconnected from rest of country for more than two days and rescue teams have reportedly failed to reach numerous affected areas in the Interior Sindh, Punjab and Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa. Indus and its tributaries coming out of Hamalaya, Karakorum and Hindukush and flow along Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan and finally enter into Pakistan wrecked havoc in downstream.Global community fulfilling its pledges provided a substantial amount of around 400 million dollars as aid package to devastated Pakistan. TV channels broadcast ed continuously people stuck within huge flowing of floods along their families waiting for rescue for hours hopelessly; few reports claimed that many people lost their lives of bites of snakes in running water. Federal government, after an embarrassment among world community over taking case with ease that relied on armed forces alone, declared emergency after intensity of flooding approached further areas.Global community, according to media reports pledged to give aid of around 400 million dollars to straggle to deal with the new challenges posed across the country. Yet, according to UN sources, even the quarter of the aid announced earlier not reached so far.
The people of both the down cities, towns and villages and country side areas like that of Gilgit-Baltistan, an area frequently hit by natural disasters recently is also a great sufferer. The main bridges at Bisham, Thakot and Shitial have washed away by flesh flood and according to experts, their renewal would take at least three week. The disconnection of land route link has not only hampered physical movement of the travellers but also of goods especially the essentials. The prices of essentials have further sky rocketed and lack of petroleum products including LPG have brought the life of people to drifting still in the region.
A direct impact of dependency of communities of the mountain communities on downstream as well as from Chinese boarder as the last hope can be ascertain from crucial situation emerged out of scarcity of petroleum products can be observed at Attabad blockade site where people have to wait for dozen of hours for only government run boat. While other existing private boats employed to shift trade goods on backdrop of suspension of supply from Chinese boarder halted their movement and refusing shifting commuters on general travel charges.
We would like to insist authorities in the region particularly to ensure availability of essentials including petroleum products to get poor out of the trouble waters at any cost.It can be suggested, instead of consuming fuel over unnecessary movement of vehicles of government officials,a usual case in the region to make arrangements for ambulances and vehicles reserved to shift Wheat, floor and other essentials keeping little chances for black marketing of fuel by government officials and employees secretly. Lack of life saving drugs in case of emergency is even in main hospitals in Hunza-Nagar and other district is another issue less discussed. Sheer dependency of strategic border areas including Gilgit-Baltisan and Tribal regions on other provinces for food and other essentials with no alternative source is another matter of concern for conscious people. As a large portion of crops have destroyed by torrential rains, left a question mark of the state's ability to cater the needs of the people in days to come. Many fear, Storm of high prices would hit with every next month for not only because of devastation but also of continual raise in per unit consumption of energy by power generation companies including government own PEPCO. Per unit increase on energy will serve to put a new burden on already suppressed middle and lower class in the country as it would indirectly increase cost of production which producers used to transfer on consumers. And if it happens, there is little chance of socio-economic progress as every third person would confine to deem to accomplish mere his basic needs of life.
Keeping in view, one after another disaster across the region,we would urge, Gilgit-Baltistan government vide local administration to remain all departments on alert to control any outward situation posed by continuous earth shocks being felt at various of the region especially in hill sides of Hunza-Nagar district to take disaster prevention measures instead of trumpeting and shifting responsibilities to others if any worse happen.
Editor
Heavy rain pour coupled with ligthning, flesh floods have inflicted devastation across low lying areas along Indus and its tributeries in Khyber Pakhtoonkhawa, Punjab, Sindh,Balochistan, Gilgit-Baltistan and AJK as well, innundating hundreds of villages, damaged thousands of property, killing around 1500 people and leaving aroung 1.2 million homeless accumulately. The situation continues to worsen as various areas of central, Western and Southern province, Tendoilahiyar, Dera Ghazi Khan, for instance, remained disconnected from rest of country for more than two days and rescue teams have reportedly failed to reach numerous affected areas in the Interior Sindh, Punjab and Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa. Indus and its tributaries coming out of Hamalaya, Karakorum and Hindukush and flow along Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan and finally enter into Pakistan wrecked havoc in downstream.Global community fulfilling its pledges provided a substantial amount of around 400 million dollars as aid package to devastated Pakistan. TV channels broadcast ed continuously people stuck within huge flowing of floods along their families waiting for rescue for hours hopelessly; few reports claimed that many people lost their lives of bites of snakes in running water. Federal government, after an embarrassment among world community over taking case with ease that relied on armed forces alone, declared emergency after intensity of flooding approached further areas.Global community, according to media reports pledged to give aid of around 400 million dollars to straggle to deal with the new challenges posed across the country. Yet, according to UN sources, even the quarter of the aid announced earlier not reached so far.
The people of both the down cities, towns and villages and country side areas like that of Gilgit-Baltistan, an area frequently hit by natural disasters recently is also a great sufferer. The main bridges at Bisham, Thakot and Shitial have washed away by flesh flood and according to experts, their renewal would take at least three week. The disconnection of land route link has not only hampered physical movement of the travellers but also of goods especially the essentials. The prices of essentials have further sky rocketed and lack of petroleum products including LPG have brought the life of people to drifting still in the region.
A direct impact of dependency of communities of the mountain communities on downstream as well as from Chinese boarder as the last hope can be ascertain from crucial situation emerged out of scarcity of petroleum products can be observed at Attabad blockade site where people have to wait for dozen of hours for only government run boat. While other existing private boats employed to shift trade goods on backdrop of suspension of supply from Chinese boarder halted their movement and refusing shifting commuters on general travel charges.
We would like to insist authorities in the region particularly to ensure availability of essentials including petroleum products to get poor out of the trouble waters at any cost.It can be suggested, instead of consuming fuel over unnecessary movement of vehicles of government officials,a usual case in the region to make arrangements for ambulances and vehicles reserved to shift Wheat, floor and other essentials keeping little chances for black marketing of fuel by government officials and employees secretly. Lack of life saving drugs in case of emergency is even in main hospitals in Hunza-Nagar and other district is another issue less discussed. Sheer dependency of strategic border areas including Gilgit-Baltisan and Tribal regions on other provinces for food and other essentials with no alternative source is another matter of concern for conscious people. As a large portion of crops have destroyed by torrential rains, left a question mark of the state's ability to cater the needs of the people in days to come. Many fear, Storm of high prices would hit with every next month for not only because of devastation but also of continual raise in per unit consumption of energy by power generation companies including government own PEPCO. Per unit increase on energy will serve to put a new burden on already suppressed middle and lower class in the country as it would indirectly increase cost of production which producers used to transfer on consumers. And if it happens, there is little chance of socio-economic progress as every third person would confine to deem to accomplish mere his basic needs of life.
Keeping in view, one after another disaster across the region,we would urge, Gilgit-Baltistan government vide local administration to remain all departments on alert to control any outward situation posed by continuous earth shocks being felt at various of the region especially in hill sides of Hunza-Nagar district to take disaster prevention measures instead of trumpeting and shifting responsibilities to others if any worse happen.
Editor
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