What is more important-sight seeing or saving lives?

Our most respected PM Syed Yousuf Raza Gillani was on a joy ride when today Friday 21^st May, he boarded helicopter and toured the calamity stricken Gilgit but at what cost? At times I wonder less and ponder more about our elected leaders, self proclaimed letters to be honest otherwise they simply can not act alike.

Today PM toured the area which is already flooded and much more water is to gush within few hours endangering the precious lives of hundreds but hardly any one is pushed to save those whose innocent soles are dangling between life and death. PM being the leader of the ruling majority party must on one hand had thought it as an act of heroism to run around the area and on the other he must be expecting big thanks also from the marooned dwellers of the valley. What a pity! For quite many days water level is increasing in the lake and quite a big area is already inundated with water resulting in not only death of lives and miseries but also inflicting untold material loss to those who are poverty stricken in any case. Water level is continually increasing in Ataabad Lake due to melting of glaciers and heavy downpour and much more area is in imminent danger to be submerged with water. Number of people has already been pulled out of the bull’s eye but lot more are yet to be evacuated to safer higher grounds. The only road link is already broken and it is very much doubted that the roads communication will be restored hence nothing but helicopter service can rescue them provided the facility is extended to those who are stranded.

It is worth mentioning that water has risen by another 3.6 foot resulting in that the distance between spillway and the lake is further reduced to just 9 feet only which is very much alarming and life threatening provided one can really understand its gravity and consequences. God forbid, any time any bad news can be heard and it would be too difficult, if not impossible, to minimize the hazardous fall out of the catastrophic situations. Suspension of air service because of PM trip ignited the residents who staged a protest and raised their voice against suspension of helicopter relief service and of course people’s cries could not be heard by PM though he was very much riding the helicopter over their heads but nevertheless their woes have been heard by nature and who knows who faces the divine chunk?

The daily News reports that due to VIP movement, air lifting of people to safer destinations was suspended and hence none could be pulled out of the danger zone. Will even an ordinary prudent man go on merry-making flight at the cost of hundreds of people? What PM could score by undertaking such flight to Gilgit? What loss had Gilgit and Hunza sustained if PM did not undertake this trip? Did water recede in Ataabad Lake because worthy PM flew over the lake? Will the lake be dried up simply because PM has issued SOS to the effect? What laurels, if any, PM has earned from his flight to Hunza and Gilgit? Did President Asif Ali Zardari allow PM to undertake such a wasteful venture?

Done is done and can not be undone but yet I wish that no one including President Zardari should go for such aerial picnic at the cost of the poor Giltitis unless we are enemy of our own lot which voted for those who are clinging to the throne at this point of view. I pray for life and happiness of my compatriots living in the calamity area of Gilgit and Hunza etc.

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With my honest and solemn prayers