Pakistan: Emergency measures taken in Tharparkar

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Sindh Minister for information, Archives and Local Government Sharjeel Inam Memon said that Pakistan People’s Party Parliamentarian and Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah were personally monitoring the situation of Tharparkar and the PPPP and its provincial government would not leave the famine affected people of Tharparkar alone in tragic conditions. The Minister also claimed that only 69 children died in Tharparkar during past 4 months but cause of their deaths was not famine but pneumonia. A team of doctors and paramedics had already started catering to the people of Tharparkar for their needs of medical care and a shipment of medicines of urgent needs had also been supplied to the healthcare facilities in the areas.

He said that there were 25 children under medical care and they were all out of danger and the stock of required medicines was also available in those hospitals. He claimed that number of deaths of children as reported were not true but the actual number of deaths was 26 in December 2013, 18 in January, 23 in February and 3 in March 2014. Majority of children had died of pneumonia and other infections and again majority of infants were fateful to the pneumonia and infection. He said Tharparkar was affected with natural calamity and the PPPP and Sindh government would take care of them and Sindh government had already started free distribution of wheat worth Rs 40.2 million. A major part of Thar was covered with desert, which created impediments in plying transport there. However, special transport was being arranged to deal with the situation.

He said that Sindh government had also initiated work on construction of water reservoirs in Tharparkar to prevent any water paucity situation in the area in future. The provisioning of relief goods was being carried round the clock and was closely monitored.

Sharjeel Inam Memon said that Punjab government did not make any offer for support in terms of relief and rehabilitation of the famine-affected population of Tharparkar and reports that Sindh government had refused Punjab assistance were baseless. The Minister said that Sindh government was thankful to the Prime Minister Mian Nawaz Sharif and Federal Government for taking steps for the redressal of the situation in Tharparkar while Sindh government was taking all steps for addressing the prevailing situation in Tharparkar, which would shortly be overcome.

He said that ministers in Sindh government had reached Tharparkar to show solidarity with the famine-affected population of

Tharparkar and were taking part in relief activities. The Sindh government has sent a team of 30 doctors and 15 paramedics to Tharparkar along with 2 trucks of medicines. The medical team would stay in Tharparkar till the situation would be under control. Meanwhile the Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah following deaths of children in Tharparkar due to starvation suspended Mirpur Khas Commissioner and Tharparkar Deputy Commissioner for negligence. The Mirpur Khas Commissioner Ghulam Mustafa and Tharparkar Deputy Commissioner Makhdoom Aqeel Uz Zaman were accused of ignoring starving people. The CM after suspending the two bureaucrats, appointed Sajid Jamal Abro as Mirpur Khas Commissioner and Asif Ikram as Tharparkar Deputy Commissioner. Superintendent of Police, Tharparkar was replaced by Muneer Shaikh.