The poor hapless people of Sindh will continue to die as long as massive corruption is not contained. We need to have someone who can plan for a better tomorrow for Pakistan. We need to build dams, work on projects that can bring social development. The projects ignored by the government and there should also be strict auditing and regulatory control. There have been numerous case of misappropriation of development funds, which are already insufficient, because of institutionalized tax evasion. Thousands will die in Thar because of malnutrition, starvation and lack of basic health facilities as if this was their fate.
Famine will ravage this country as long as dams are not constructed and fate of millions not left to the elements. As long as men like Syed Jammat Ali Shah, responsible for betraying Pakistan’s interest in Indus Water Basin Treaty, are facilitated to flee by the ruling elite, corruption will continue. There will be a media focus for a few days, some photo shoots of VVIP visits and then it will be forgotten. It happened in the past, when floods ravaged Sind and hundreds of thousands were displaced, and many are still living without a roof over their head and no food to feed their children, while their leaders live in Dubai, London or Canada etc.
As long as people of Pakistan allow political cults to rule them, their leaders who do not want to live in this country, their lives will be an endless misery. Billions will be spent on holding music festivals, but not a penny on poor, until they are dying in hundreds and media highlights their misery. It is an unfortunate reality that corruption and an individual’s capacity to excel in it, have become a merit for promotion. Massive corruption in Sind Food Department, Police, Irrigation, Education, Health etc is mind boggling.
Educational qualifications and integrity have become secondary criterion and we have witnessed semi literate corrupt cronies being appointed to head important state owned corporations like OGDC, PIA, CAA, SNGPL, NICL etc in the past and even today. High costing projects, which offer kickbacks to the elite, will continue to have priority while paucity of funds becomes an excuse for not investing in social sector or providing basic needs to the common man all over the country.
ANEELA CHANDIO,
Sukkur, March 10.