Balochistan : More than just aftershocks

A major earthquake, measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale, hit Balochistan and some parts of Sindh on Tuesday. It is the worst natural catastrophe to hit the country since the floods of 2010, which submerged one fifth of the entire nation. The death toll so far has exceeded 320 people with the fatalities expected to rise in the days ahead. This is because serious aftershocks are still being felt in the region, people and bodies are still being pulled out of the rubble and many of the critically injured may succumb to their injuries. The district of Awaran in Balochistan alone has seen some 208 of its people die in the quake because most of the construction and homes there are mud huts and poorly built. More than 400 people are injured and more than 300,000 have been displaced or left homeless. That this is a national emergency is clear for all to see but will that be enough to make the relevant authorities sit up and get their act together, unlike what they have not done in earlier calamities? Those who are displaced do not have access to clean drinking water and food, medical aid or shelter. Does this scenario not seem all too familiar? Every year, we see droves of flood affectees lining up for assistance but the government authorities have still been unable to attend to those who were displaced in the 2010 floods. The numbers have piled up and the rehabilitation promises have been left unfulfilled. It is feared that the same sorry state will be seen for these distraught victims of the massive earthquake, left with nothing but the bodies of their loved ones and rubble where their homes used to be. We live in a geologically active zone, known for being prone to tectonic shifts. While we cannot avoid the depradations of Mother Nature, we can do something about the tragic after effects. Herein lies the crux of the problem. The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and its provincial equivalents have been given every chance to prove themselves but have shown that they are a disaster in themselves. It is the time to mobilise forces, gather the reserves and help our disaster-struck citizens out of this catastrophe. The need is so great that even the Frontier Corps (FC), which has long struck terror in the hearts of the Baloch masses, is being mobilised to help in the rehabilitation efforts. Right now, there is no enemy or friend; there are just helping hands that are required more than anything else. Provincial and federal authorities have not shouldered responsibility in overcoming the effects of Mother Nature’s wrath and, it seems, this earthquake really will put them to the test. At this time of national tragedy, when the country needs a leader, Prime Minister (PM) Nawaz Sharif is not even in the country. His engagements see him in New York to attend the 68th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). Whilst it is understandable that the PM could not have foreseen the calamity, his nation would expect him to return and oversee the crisis management. If the authorities think it apt to ask for aid and rehabilitation money, they ought to think again. The world is weary and is suffering from donor fatigue; it has given to Pakistan many times only to learn that aid money hardly ever reaches those it was intended for in the first place. It is time for real action instead of rhetoric, relief instead of promises and leadership from all incumbents.