Protests by families rendered homeless by recent heavy rainfall and flooding continued for a third consecutive day in several districts on Sunday as the provincial government and local administrations could not effectively manage provision of relief goods to a huge population scattered across the province.
Several hundred starving families gathered outside the Mirpurkhas commissioner’s office before arrival of Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah late Saturday evening and raised slogans against the provincial government, elected representatives and district administrations of the division for their failure to pay any attention to them during and after the heaviest ever rainfall in the province last week.
The gate of the Commissioner Complex was closed and a strong contingent of police was deployed there to prevent the protesters from entering the complex.
Speaking to local reporters, the protesters said that they had been rendered homeless by several spells of downpour and flooding. They said they had lost all their belongings, household articles and even edibles including grains. “Many days have passed but no one came to us for help and now we are starving,” they moaned, and appealed to the authorities concerned to ensure provision of relief goods to them for their survival.
Separately, hundreds of people blocked the Tando Jan Mohammad bypass leading to Digri on Sunday over the same issue.
The protesters put hurdles to block the road causing suspension of vehicular traffic for about nine hours causing great hardship to commuters stuck in the snarl-up.
The protesters also expressed their disappointment over being ignored by CM Murad Ali Shah who did not visit him during his visit to Umerkot, Thatta, Sujawal and Mirpurkhas.
SUKKUR: A large number of rain-affected Hindu families staged a protest demonstration against Khairpur district administration over its failure in draining out stagnant rainwater from their area and neglecting them in relief and rehabilitation process in this difficult time.
Talking to the media, they said that they had to leave their area of residence because over three-foot rainwater had accumulated in their villages and many houses had collapsed in Meghwar village of Gambat.
They said that their temples and religious places like Ram Pir, Samadhi of Saint Adu Ram and other holy places had also submerged.
They complained that the municipal officials were not doing anything to clear the area of rainwater and sewage due to which other houses and temples were facing threat of collapse.
They said they had not been provided food, tents, mosquito nets and other relief goods as yet.
LARKANA: Traders of Resham Gali held a demonstration over stagnant water in the trade centre making it difficult for them to do their business. Murtaza Shaikh, Yousuf Bhutto and others accused the municipal machinery of ignoring their hue and cry, and called for early removal of rainwater from the trade centre.
A large group of people under the banner of Larkana Social Alliance also held protest demonstrations outside the local press club and Jinnahbagh gate to deplore the slow pace of relief work.