In ancient times, when a war was lost, or a famine ravaged the land, the kings would blame it on the gods and their capricious favour and that would have been the end of that. Unfortunately for Mr Nawaz Sharif, times have changed; now we can scientifically analyse heaps of data and can pinpoint why something went wrong. It is becoming increasingly clear that sheer ineptitude, apathy and laziness has significantly contributed to the magnitude of the floods. The Meteorological Office of Pakistan issued warnings of medium to high level flooding in Ravi and Chenab as early as 14th August. Despite repeated warnings, neither the Ministry of Water and Power nor the Indus River System Authority felt the need to react. IRSA, up till 5th September, continued to operate the dams normally and not under flood protocol. Had the stored water been released from these dams earlier, there would not have been a massive surge that is now sweeping through the land. These are hard, cold facts; these conclusions are based on data taken from the state’s own departments, yet the Prime Minster continues to pretend that nobody in government knows what happened. The much bandied around fact that Indian Kashmir was flooded as well, does not prove that this was an unpreventable, across the board phenomena; a cursory examination proves India too is at fault.
The government needs to own up to its failings. Pakistan suffers from almost annual flooding, not having built enough dams and chronic departmental failings. If we refuse to even admit that there is a problem, how do we begin addressing it? If we continue to maintain that the floods are caused by events beyond our control, how do we generate the political impetus to build the Kalabagh dam or any other project? The government needs to care a little bit less about its own skin and perhaps a tad bit more about the people’s.
This is not the only problem; elements such as Hafiz Saeed, leader of Jamaat-ud-Dawa, are stoking hatred by pinning the blame on India. These notorious organisations are sweeping the affected areas providing relief and then filling those grateful ears with tales of how India uses its dams upstream to practice ‘water terrorism’ by releasing huge amounts of water into Pakistan. With no official explanation provided to contradict these claims, coupled with a deep seated suspicion of India, people are easily convinced, and the very real, ongoing discourse regarding Indian water aggression is damaged by dubious spokespeople. The dire circumstances the affectees are facing, along with propaganda, is a recipe for minting radicals. We need the state to own up, to officially provide an explanation. Not only because it is practically necessary but also because the state owes it to the thousands whose lives and livelihoods have been destroyed.
Thursday, September 18, 2014
Pakistan: FLOODS - A Flood Of Excuses
In ancient times, when a war was lost, or a famine ravaged the land, the kings would blame it on the gods and their capricious favour and that would have been the end of that. Unfortunately for Mr Nawaz Sharif, times have changed; now we can scientifically analyse heaps of data and can pinpoint why something went wrong. It is becoming increasingly clear that sheer ineptitude, apathy and laziness has significantly contributed to the magnitude of the floods. The Meteorological Office of Pakistan issued warnings of medium to high level flooding in Ravi and Chenab as early as 14th August. Despite repeated warnings, neither the Ministry of Water and Power nor the Indus River System Authority felt the need to react. IRSA, up till 5th September, continued to operate the dams normally and not under flood protocol. Had the stored water been released from these dams earlier, there would not have been a massive surge that is now sweeping through the land. These are hard, cold facts; these conclusions are based on data taken from the state’s own departments, yet the Prime Minster continues to pretend that nobody in government knows what happened. The much bandied around fact that Indian Kashmir was flooded as well, does not prove that this was an unpreventable, across the board phenomena; a cursory examination proves India too is at fault.
The government needs to own up to its failings. Pakistan suffers from almost annual flooding, not having built enough dams and chronic departmental failings. If we refuse to even admit that there is a problem, how do we begin addressing it? If we continue to maintain that the floods are caused by events beyond our control, how do we generate the political impetus to build the Kalabagh dam or any other project? The government needs to care a little bit less about its own skin and perhaps a tad bit more about the people’s.
This is not the only problem; elements such as Hafiz Saeed, leader of Jamaat-ud-Dawa, are stoking hatred by pinning the blame on India. These notorious organisations are sweeping the affected areas providing relief and then filling those grateful ears with tales of how India uses its dams upstream to practice ‘water terrorism’ by releasing huge amounts of water into Pakistan. With no official explanation provided to contradict these claims, coupled with a deep seated suspicion of India, people are easily convinced, and the very real, ongoing discourse regarding Indian water aggression is damaged by dubious spokespeople. The dire circumstances the affectees are facing, along with propaganda, is a recipe for minting radicals. We need the state to own up, to officially provide an explanation. Not only because it is practically necessary but also because the state owes it to the thousands whose lives and livelihoods have been destroyed.
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