It is indeed, a painful reality of life that many individuals in the upper and lower Sindh districts do not have a pair of shoes to wear in their daily life. Even more painful is the reality of life that a majority of them can’t have a pair of shoes to wear even on the religious festivals such as Eid-ul-fitr and Eid-ul-Azha. While visiting various schools, both primary and secondary, in upper and lower Sindh districts last week I was really shocked to see the majority of schools, where more than 50 percent kids both boys and girls were without shoes. Their poor parents do send them to schools but they can’t afford to purchase their clothes and shoes. What to talk of stationery, books and other school and college necessities. Shockingly, every year several children contract parasitic diseases such hookworm and threadworm that can penetrate the skin. Besides, constant cuts and bruises to the feet and ankles such infections can lead to ulcers which take a long time to heal. I also witnessed hundreds of thousands of victim of natural calamities without any governmental help. Indeed, there are ample hazards associated with going barefooted in contaminated sand, soil and dirty water but unfortunately there is no one to gift them a pair of shoes. There are dozens of multinational oil and gas drilling and exploring companies operating in these districts and those have done nothing for the poverty stricken children. Is there anyone caring enough to take notice of this heart wrenching situation and sponsor a gift of shoes of for all these ill-fated children in upper and lower Sindh districts.
HASHIM ABRO,
Islamabad, April 9.