Children Of A Lesser God.

While most of us were busy watching the political drama unfold in Punjab, where the PTI and coalition parties were locked in a bitter battle for the throne of Punjab, parts of Balochistan, Eastern Sindh and lower Punjab were practically washed away in the recent monsoon rains that wreaked havoc throughout the country. Though not an unexpected thing because of climate change, monsoon rains have hit the country this year more severely than they have done in the recent past as the rainfall has been recorded high in many parts of Pakistan.

The rains, no doubt, wreaked havoc around the country and the cities such as Karachi, Lahore and Multan were submerged in water; however, it is the Balochistan, Kachho (area in the west of Sindh) and Saraiki Waseb (lower Punjab) which have witnessed destruction and devastation on a much larger scale, as hundreds of people have died in Balochistan alone, and thousands of houses have collapsed, thereby bringing life to a standstill for them. A few days after the end of the spell of the recent rains, reports have started coming from the affected areas, with unpleasant images and grim videos depicting destruction. The clips and pictures doing the rounds on social media platforms show mud houses falling apart, and people, cattle and vehicles being washed away on the roads in gushing waters. From watching videos circulating online, it appears that the roads have turned into rivers and channels. The scenes of destruction have moved ordinary people and netizens, and have made them feel disgusted. They have been tempted to start questioning the very role of the state in averting this crisis. The questions they put forward are: 'Are these areas not part of Pakistan?', 'Are impoverished Siraikis, remotely located Balochs, and hapless Sindhis not citizens of Pakistan?'

There are no two views about the fact that little could be done to prevent the rains from occurring; however, what is being lamented and complained about is that the state institutions have failed the people, who have been ravaged. Even though the rains had been forecast, it appears people had not been informed of this catastrophe in advance. Moreover, the respective governments have left them on their own. Only the army is seen helping out people in some places. However, local governments have done very little to rescue stranded people and have been very slow in providing aid to them. One of the viral pictures is portraying a hapless father who is holding...