Public outshines government in Karachi heatwave

Karachi: In the past one week, almost 1075 lives have been lost in Karachi due to a heat wave. It is said to be one of the worst calamities to hit Pakistan in the last ten years.To add to the misfortune, there has been no water or electricity in many city areas for the past many days. People reached hospitals in all sorts of transport and majority returned with the dead bodies of their loved ones. The city mortuaries are full and families are running from pillar to post to find a place to keep the remains of their loved ones in a cool place. The Federal and Sindh government are nowhere to be seen.And K Electric is least concerned about the plight of its bill paying consumers.

In between this horrific scenario the Pakistan Army stepped in and established Heat Wave Relief Camps making doctors, facilities and medical aid available to the beleaguered citizens of Karachi .Along with this many people are working with the Rangers in their camps and helping them out.

One of the volunteers said, “Things are so bad that it’s being hard to manage. The kafan and related items alone costRs8,000, where can a poor person manage that from? And the grave diggers are asking for anything from 5,000 to 50,000 on seeing the person who asks for a grave to be dug.”

He continued: “Where are the government and the elected representatives? When they want votes they are all out to spend money on advertisements and running campaigns; but now their when the voters are dying no one is there to help them. In the end it is always the army that steps in.”

Despite all their efforts it was not enough, Karachites came forward took charge to help. Starting from social media to door to door collection, to camps, and then reaching the victims they have come forward with tremendous zeal and saved many lives.

Social media has proven to be the medium to spread the word for help and donations. The Facebook Mera Karachi Group (MKG) started their online campaign and from there and spread out in the field. Vaqar, Sabiha Begh, Imran Ahmed (Founder of MKG), Sheema Ghani and many others from MKG have been working day and night to reach out to the people.

“MKG’s aim is to change the behavior of the people. We don’t do anything big rather we start from small things. This will make us more responsible citizens instead of always blaming the government ,” Vaqar said.

“Karachi has been hit with a heat wave that was least expected and people were not prepared for it. No one is aware about climate change and no precautionary measures are being taken to prevent it in future,” he added.

“For the time being we are not taking money from people, instead we ask then for things that can be distributed. People have brought in Infusion kits, ORS, water bottles, towels and some medicines. Apart from this we are collecting kafanstoo,” Vaqarsaid when asked about donations and efforts.

Apart from these people in Karachi , Mona Kazim is working from the US.She is collecting donations from people in the States and sending it to the local ElajTrust. Mehdi, a social activist and student, told us that Elaj Trust is being run by activist JibranNasir and his colleagues. On the visit of the CM Sindhto Jinnah Hospital JibranNasir confronted him and questioned him on accountability of the budget, to which CM had no reply.

Elaj Trust has “adopted” ward 5 and 6 of Jinnah Hospital and the patients in these wards will be looked after throughoutRamadan.Eighteen standing type room ACs have been installed, medical facilities, water and ORS is available,and janitors hired to keep the wards clean.”

He told that a girl who had brought her unconscious mother to the hospital suffering from heat exhaustion, collapsed due to the oppressive heat while sponging he mother.

The resilience and sheer determination to stand up in the face of adversity which has long been the forte of the people of Pakistan is visible in the citizens of Karachi in this crisis.Conspicuous by its absence once again is the hand that should be leading the relief and rehabilitation effort, the seat of governance a mere 4 kilometers from the Jinnah Hospital from where emanates not encouragement and help, but an ominous silence.

This article has been published in The Nation on 28th June 2015

Mindful Food

Some sit waiting for food

Some gather around it

Some eat whatever there is, alone.

To some even the aroma is a blessing

And for some tables laden with delicacies

While to some

Nothing but mere edibles.

Some eat totally idle and quiet

Some are cheerful and jolly

Some hear chatter far off

Others slip into rugs to sleep

Some overeat to no limits

Killing even the need to sleep.

For some the wait lasts forever

For others it’s party time till ever.

And for the God forsaken ones,                                                                 

It’s a burden of chains and hunger!

Saqii

28 jan 2015 11:11pm

 

Jewels in the Crown

From the dark ages to the present illuminated era, we have traveled a long way. Almost everyone understands this fact, yet there are many who don’t. Pakistan is one such country where there is hardly any recognition of reality. We are fed with fabricated stories and also a staple diet of conspiracy theories. Any person who looks at things through a rational prism starts feeling isolated in such an environment. A recent example may depict the mindset prevailing in the land of the pure – a segment of society that had to face a backlash for supporting a child; a 17 year old girl named Malala Yousafzai, who was shot in the head by the Taliban in Swat valley, Pakistan.

There was a hue and cry when this unfortunate incident took place. While a group of people were against the attack and condemned it, a significant anti Malala campaign was in the offing. The initial narrative that people believed in was that this attack was planned by the establishment to “malign” the TTP. Later as her treatment took place and she went abroad for medical attention, the world media started giving her coverage; she became the star of Pakistan. From across the globe she was embraced her with love and affection. However in her own motherland, she was bashed left, right and center. The so called “ghairat brigade” (moral brigade) who kept claiming that she was a puppet of the West and was playing in their hands. They screamed that if she was a sincere Pakistani, she should return to Pakistan. All sorts of fabricated stories started floating against her; andthe last nail in the coffin was hammered when her book “Iam Malala” was released. The irony was that her book proved her a “traitor” and a puppet of the west beyond doubt the detractors many of whom had not read her book. Today Malala Yousafzai, a girl from the valley of Swat, Pakistan, has been awarded with a Nobel Peace Prize, the youngest girl to get one. But we are ungrateful wretches, as we had been in the case of Dr Abdus Salam.

Midst of all the emotions and hate sentiments, what people forgot was that Malala had done nothing to defame the country? Rather many other things were bringing a bad name to Pakistan. There is a long list of things that have maligned Pakistan and its position. One wonders how long the people of Pakistan will keep hiding their heads in sand like an ostrich and put all the blame on others; be it at the international or domestic level? Let’s start by looking at the mirror and face our faithlessness also; maybe then we will realize who is to be blamed for the jewels in the crown.

Pakistan is known as the hub of militants which cannot be denied. For almost 30 years, we have harbored this trash in our house. Religion has become a tool to measure not only one’s faith but also the time one has to live if one doesn't belong to that same school of thought. The countries are stopping us entering in their lands. Our “green” passport is kept aside at immigration desks; we are strip searched for security reasons. Pakistan is famous for human trafficking and people are trafficked to the Arab states for various purposes. Even kids are used for camel and horse races. Apart from these honorable deeds, we are also involved in illegal migration to various parts of the world and seeking refuge.

Many Pakistani’s considered as a minority have had to flee the state to save their lives and take asylum in foreign countries. As if this was not enough we have a long list of leaders who are known for their corruptions and illdeeds. Pakistanis are known for even getting bribed easily and that has been stated by our “friends.” As if all these things were not enough we stand in the top ranks of polio stricken countries also. Our neighboring country doesn't have any case of polio but the world is closing doors for us only due to this disease and our incompetence for not tackling it properly.

There was a time before 9/11 when people use to ask where Pakistan is. We were such an unknown country in many ways. But soon after the tragedy of twin towers, Pakistan’s name spread globally like wildfire. Today we are known and also presumed to be one of the worst people on earth. Other states think twice before they have to invest in our country, and when help is needed during any calamity, donors have a hard time deciding if they should help Pakistan or not, only because the money is not utilized properly. There is an unending list but the point that needs to be made is that instead of putting the entire burden on one gem. It’s time to polish the crown and if needed readjust the jewels in it too. These jewels look ugly. Don’t they?

Princess

A smile like spring,

Full of innocence,

Soul sanctified,

Living in paradise.

Such was the princess,

With jewels adorned

Colours embraced.

Wrapped in velvet,

With nothing to fear,

Eyes unknown of tear.

No thought of tomorrow,

Past, having no sorrow.

A joyful princess

Then season changed

And summer grew

No more it’s pink,

Life turned to blue.

Burned each inch

A bleeding princess

Her chastity torn,

She left forlorn.

Her wings were clipped,

A useless princess

Soon autumn arrived

With empty twilight

And silent choir

A sleepless princess

Played hide and seek

Flew with the wind

Crumbled and trampled

A withered princess

Then by the end

Frozen by words

Chilling pain within

A numb princess

Tied in broken bonds,

Muffled discussions

Excruciating wishes

A carcass of princess.

Saqii

5:48am 31may, 2014

Life can't escape

Wind bangs my window,

Leaves scream,

Calling me out,

Life can't escape.

All I see is a moon,

Shining in the dark night,

Playing hide and seek,

Mocking at me.

Shadows dancing on the walls,

I sit and stare,

Fight a battle,

With the visible and unknown.

Deep are the valleys of truth,

Harsh are the roads of life,

Hidden are meanings of reality,

Broken are the jars of hope.

Emotions turn into experiences,

Tears to stones,

Fears to graves,

Human to just a body….

Saqii ( 17th May, 2014. 4:14am) 

Was it just me?

Was it just me?

Or did I really see

An ocean of love

Flown on the wings of a dove

Wrapped in the colors of sincerity

Seducing me to the peaks of ecstasy

Was it only me?

Or did I really see

A vague portrait of the unknown

Or a symbol of the shining dome

Sprinkling fragrance from even the thorns

Embraced my soul despite of the norms…

Saqii

Dishonored

Childhood sits on a pedestal and weeps, 
There is nothing left for you to sweep.

Fears and tears are broken and lost, 
Elders won’t burden you with them to keep. 

Dark realities are hard to digest, 
Keep it going, is easy to suggest. 

Innocence is not ever lasting, 
Plucked and flicked from the concealed nest. 

It outgrows from those stained attires, 
Reminiscence becomes a mockery and satire. 

Hush your screams and slaughter the pain, 
Remain scorching in dishonor’s fire.

Saqii