PESHAWAR: People stranded in Mingora city said they were living without food, water and medicines for the previous two days. Asking for emergency assistance, particularly food and water, the besieged people said the continuous disruption of power supply had rendered them without drinking water.
Engr Siddiq Akbar is head of one of the trapped families, who managed to establish a contact with his family members who left Mingora 15 days ago to take refuge with relatives in Mardan. He said the people were under virtual siege and they could not come out of their houses because of the continuous curfew.
Requesting for immediate assistance from the government to ensure their survival, Engr Akbar said the militants had fled and they could be seen nowhere in the city now. He said the hospitals were closed because the staff had already left and the sick and injured people were facing serious problems in getting treatment. “We’re applying homemade medications to cure our sick children and elderly people,” he said.
About the provincial government’s claims regarding sending truckloads of food items to Mingora, the stranded person said not a single morsel of food had reached the people stuck up in the city. “We tried to offer the Juma prayers at the Allah-o-Akbar Mosque in our mohallah, but we were not allowed to go there because of the curfew,” said the man, whose half family had migrated to Mardan and put on with a relative.
He said they could not leave their houses to get food or water because three people had so far been killed for violating the curfew. “I request the elected representatives from Swat as to when would they visit us and extend a helping hand in this hour of trial. We’re awaiting a silent death, but those elected to the assemblies by the people of this unfortunate land can’t move from their offices or fortified houses to bail us out,” said the aggrieved man.
People from Islampura village, also known as the craft village for its unique handicrafts, also complained about the acute shortage of food items, medicines and potable water. Located in the neighbourhood of Saidu Sharif, dwellers of Islampura village said they were without food, water, medicines and electricity. The villagers had even run out of fodder for cattle and many animals had so far died.
Both the villagers and their animals would die if emergency assistance were not provided, said the villagers in a telephonic conversation. They said their children were extremely terrified and could not sleep all the night.
The villagers asked the government to relax the curfew and allow transportation of food items and medicines to avoid an eminent human catastrophe in the city of Mingora and adjacent villages.
Security forces had launched operation in Swat on May 8 while curfew was imposed in the city of Mingora and other parts of the restive valley on May 4. More than 500,000 people managed to flee the valley, but thousands are still stuck up or stayed back to guard their houses.
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