Deprived of facilities: PPP loyalists reminisce about Gen Zia’s regime

Despite resistance against army rule, roads and health facility were provided during dictatorship

KAMBER-SHAHDADKOT: In the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) stronghold of Kamber-Shahdadkot, residents still remember General Ziaul Haq's tenure - not because of the atrocities committed on political activists - but because of the medical facilities and roads provided to them.

According to the locals, the present elected representatives only visit the area for election campaigns to bag votes instead of coming back to the constituency to deliver on their promises of development.

"Look at the crumbling walls and rooms of this basic health centre, which was built in 1982," said Ghulam Muhammad, a resident of Thorhi Bijar village of Kamber-Shahdadkot district, at the Thorhi Bijar Basic Health Centre. "It was General Zia's tenure and, despite Sindh's stiff resistance against army rule, this health facility and roads were given to us. We still support democracy and vote for the PPP but elected representatives of the party have totally ignored us."

The historic village of Thorhi Bijar lies adjacent to the 'Drigh Lake' where PPP founder Zulfikar Ali Bhutto had also set up a rest house. Many still recall the days when foreign dignitaries used to visit the lake with Bhutto. "Bhutto had devised a plan to set up a factory near the lake but his successors have ruined whatever we have," said resident Khalid Hussain Bhangar.



According to people, there is only one doctor posted at the medical centre, who is mostly absent, and an 'untrained' dispenser runs the facility.

"This basic health centre, which has rendered services to [residents of] hundreds of villages till 1990s, has now turned into a garbage dump and shelter for wandering animals and stray dogs," said a retired headmaster, Nazir Ahmed. "Not a single road is good enough for plying vehicles. It takes one hour to reach Kamber Town, which is hardly 11 kilometres from here. We have approached the MPA and MNA of this constituency but they all have turned a blind eye to our plight."

Another villager talked about the chief minister's statement regarding emergency to be declared in education and health. "This is yet another political statement," he claimed. "The emergency will not yield results until pragmatic steps are taken for the proper functioning of the area's basic health centre and roads are built." A large number of residents seemed to be annoyed with the performance and lethargic attitude of MPA Ghulam Mujtaba Isran and MNA Mir Amir Magsi, who, according to them, have done nothing for their voters.

"The people of this area are being punished because they have always unconditionally supported PPP," said local journalist Khadim Mahar. "From top to bottom, the party leadership knows that the votes will ultimately go to their candidates, apparently because there is no alternative. Why will they bother to listen to the people's woes then?"

Apart from health, roads and education-related needs, drinking water is also a matter of concern for villagers. "Underground water of this entire area has become totally contaminated and a majority of the people suffer from hepatitis and kidney diseases," claimed Mahar. "But the government has not taken any initiative to provide relief to people."

Despite many attempts, PPP MPA Ghulam Mujtafa Isran avoided talking on the issue. "We have done more than the people expected," he claimed, refusing to talk about when was the last time that he visited the area.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 12^th, 2016.