Independence Day & flood havoc
By Dj Mathal

As the monsoon rains have brought widespread havoc in all parts of the country, the Independence Day of Pakistan on Aug 14 went without any funfair. Anyway, Gilgit-Baltistan is still long way away from the blessing of freedom as the United Nations is not taking any interest in fulfilling its pledge of holding a plebiscite to decide the future of the region in accordance with wishes of its inhabitants. To add to this, the region has been devastated by the natural calamity of unimaginable magnitude paralyzing the already haggard infrastructure.According to the chief minister Syed Mehdi Shah, about 195 villages consisting of 2,627 houses have completely destroyed while 122 people lost their lives in the deluges. Standing crops of wheat, maize and potato over about 72,000 kanals were washed away.The world famous and vital 622-km-long Karakoram Highway linking Pakistan and China has almost lost its existence due to the floods. The floods also washed away about 340 water channels and damaged 63 bridges in the region. As a result, about 86,000 people have been affected by the natural calamity. The chief minister has also acknowledged that after Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltsiatn was the worst affected region. As a result, the area has plunged about 30 years back in terms of development. The chief minister has demanded Rs10 billion for rehabilitation which may take at least five months to complete.Though the chief minister is making hue and cry over the destructions, his government is seen nowhere in rescuing or helping the affected people though political statements are coming out ferociously. On the other hand, the Balawaristan National Front (BNF) has issued a fact sheet according to which the villages of Qamrah, Talas, Giyes of Diamar, Hotoo, Rondu, Darel, Tangir, Botogah, Khinar, Thor, Hoodoor,Babusar, Gini, Hunza Nagir, Chhamoogardh Colony of Konodas and Skarkooi, Gilgit, Ghowadi Baltistan, Yasen, Gulaper, Isshqaman, Damas, Ginday, Sandhi, Hondoor, Dahrkoot, Mastuj, Booni, Garam Chashma, Yarkhoon in Chitral, and Koli and Pattan in Kohistan have suffered widespread destructions. It said over 1,300 people have been killed and about 200 are still missing in these areas.More than half a million have become homeless and nearly 50,000 families completely lost their belongings, including land, shelter, livestock and all means of living. This is initial information which changes with the passage of each hour. Announcing one million rupees for the flood devastated people of GB, the BNF Chairman Abdul Hamid Khan asked the rulers if they can donate some funds from their billions of rupees bank balances for the poor people at this hour of need. Strangely, the chief minister instead of utilizing all government resources in aid of the displaced people is awaiting help from outside which, if comes, is also not likely to reach those in need. The world community has been not forthcoming in providing aid to the flood victims in Pakistan and Gilgit-Baltistan knowing widespread corruption among the officials.At the moment, the situation is such that this harshly hit region is not protected from the looting of Pakistani rulers and the latest example of this was seen during the construction of spillways at the artificial lake in Attabad where 350 million rupees were embezzled in the name of removing some soil. In such a situation, the international community is also perturbed on how to provide aid to the victims of the region by saving it from the corrupt officials. Even no individual philanthropist or organization is ready to donate to the affected people through these corrupt officials, as they do not trust them. In these circumstances, the exiled ChairmanOf the Balawaristan National Front, Mr Abdul Hamid Khan has appealed to the international community to come out of the confusion and generously help the people in need. The people of Gilgit-Baltistan do not need cash and they should be directly provided relief items like medicines, food, clothing, besides equipment and material to be used in the reconstruction work. He also said that individuals known for their integrity and honesty in the region should be handed over the relief items so that they can distribute them among the affected people in a transparent manner.Another problem is that so far there are no correct figures of the destruction and the picture presented by the chief minister cannot be taken as the actual picture of the situation. According to an estimate, some one million people have directly or indirectly been affected by the floods while around 100 villages have lost their existence. Roads in the region have been destroyed while standing crops, orchard trees, water channels, pipelines, small hydropower stations and houses have also been washed away.In such a situation well-to-do people in the country as well as abroad are ready to wholeheartedly come to the help of the affected people but again there is the issue of credibility as those wishing to donate money think twice whether their money would reach the people in need. This is yet another tragedy the dishonesty of the rulers is causing. Already the nation's wealth ahs been stashed in foreign banks by corrupt politicians while the masses are committing suicide due to poverty and hunger. And when there is a natural calamity like this, political leaders' corruption and dishonesty becomes a stumbling block in the way of foreign aid. At this moment, we also consider it need of the hour that a commission consisting of people with honesty and reputation should be formed to solicit and distribute aid among the displaced people so that the region is saved from the aftermath of the floods and the affected people rehabilitated. The day of independence this year went without any fanfare but the people now have to think twice what Pakistan gave them in hours of need. For the last 63 years, Pakistani rulers have been plundering the resources of Gilgit-Baltistan but whenever the local people face natural calamity, Islamabad never come to their rescue. It is need of the hour that the nation should open its eyes and realizes the fact that what would have been the destiny of the region had its people been free to run their affairs in accordance with their wishes and need. It is also hoped that the international community will not leave the people of Gilgit-Baltistan at the mercy of natural calamities.

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