Adil Najam and Owais Mughal
There are many numbers that we can and should be thinking of today. And we will. But there is only one that counts: One.
That ‘one’ is you. And what you can do to make the life of just ‘one’ of the over 6.5 million people affected by the floods in Pakistan that much better.
Of course, that ‘one’ is not just you. It is also me. And all of us. And what we do, or not do, is our choice. This is the moment to make that choice. We will, each of us, make that choice separately. But we will, all of us, reap the fruits of those choices together.
That is the nature of the challenges we face. That is the nature of the responsibilities that confront us.
All the other relevant numbers continue to rise – and will nearly certainly rise further. All except this ‘one’. Here is where those other numbers stand, as of today (see earlier compilation here):
Pakistanis Affected:
13,800,000
(According to the UN this eclipses even in the 2004 Tsunami)
Death Toll:
1650+
(Estimate of 1500+ in Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa only)
Total International Aid Pledged:
US$102,000,000
(Of which only $10-20 million has been delivered thus far)
Cost to Agriculture:
US$1,000,000,000+
(US$ 1 Billion in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa only)
Agricultural Cropland Already flooded:
1,400,000 acres
(Also 10,000 cows have perished)
Estimated cost of rebuilding roads destroyed:
US$59,000,000
(Mostly in Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa and Punjab)
Estimated cost of rebuilding power infrastructure and dams:
US$29,500,000
(This will only worsen the existing energy crisis)
Houses Destroyed:
650,000
(In Punjab and Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa)
Boats available for rescue activities:
583
(According to NMDA numbers, 8 August)
Helicopters available for rescue activities:
41
(According to NMDA numbers, 8 August)
We have all talked a lot about this flood and the havoc it has wroght. But in all honesty I did not realize the full intensity of this event until I saw this picture below. The fury of the torrent (taken in the Swat area a few days ago) depicts what no words possibly can.
Let us close with one other picture. A picture that reminds us of the power of ‘one’, and of the responsibility of ‘one.’
Some of you may have seen this already. But look again, please. Look at the eyes of this mother. You will no doubt heard the unsaid message and that feeling of ‘be-chaargi’ – of helplessness – that is being felt by just everyone in Pakistan today. The only way to respond to helplessness is to help oneself. No one in the world will – or should – come to help us, if we do not help ourselves. So, let us please help the flood affectees of Pakistan. let us do whatever we can. Let us be the ‘one.’
Thanks for your post. Way too many Pakistanis focusing on the International community and media when they should be focusing on themselves and their own efforts to see their people through this disaster. For Pakistan by Pakistan – that should be the attitude any help beyond that is a bonus.
I hope the much-hailed Ummah steps and leads the way for rest of the world in pledging and delivering aid.
Please Take Action:
I hope our “ones” understand the magnitude of this catastrophe and are actively putting in the the maximum they can.The gravity of the situation can only be matched with our efforts to help and that too needs to be continued for a considerable time to come.
Allama Iqbal Medical College/ Jinnah Hospital, Lahore has taken an imperative initiative to ensure the best possible temporary health care setups in the areas of need.We have, to date, sent 6 teams (~50 members each) comprising of Professors, Doctors, Nurses, Paramedicals and helping staff.The teams are equipped with emergency and other vital medicines, disposables, food items and mobile water treatment units.
The next step is sending more medical teams and Hostel Mess staff (Cooks & Misc.staff) to arrange for Sehr & Iftar for 1000 affectees at each camp.
We, the students and doctors, have been going around door-to-door, to the markets and onto the roads to collect whatever we can.But in order to keep this going, we need more help from more “ones” like you.
Please Donate with your Zakat, Sadaqats and Donations.
“Branch Name: Allama Iqbal Medical College Lahore
Account Title : Flood Relief Fund
Account Number: 12447900406603
Swift Code: HABBPKKA”
Finally, the international media and world is waking up to this. Thank you ATP for focussing on this story from the beginning, when others were not and educating all of us about how big and important this calamity really is.
I wonder if one has noted the Taliban spokesperson appeal for rejection of foreign aid as it would compromise over Pakistan’s sovereignty. So now the Taliban have suddenly become the torchbearers of national security and sovereignty. The government must take notice of militant groups resurfacing in the disguise of charity organizations.