Still waiting: A flood of resentment

Villagers rally to demand second installment of Watan Card pay outs.

MULTAN:

Thousands of flood victims gathered outside the prime minister’s (PM’s) house in Mutlan demanding the second instalment of Watan Cards on Sunday.

The protesters chanted slogans against the establishment and appealed to the government to heed their demands and help them rebuild their houses. Thousands of flood victims as well as representatives of civil society from Layyah, Muzaffargarh, Jattoi, Kot Addu, Karor, DG Khan, Jam Pur, Rajanpur and Alipur participated in the rally.

“We have joined together so that they will finally listen to us and give us money to rebuild,” said Karor resident, Sajal.

The rally started from the Multan Press Club and reached the PM House, where protesters chanted slogans for hours. Flood victims tied their hands with rope during the demonstration.

“This is just the way the government has tied our hands behind our backs. We have no money to rebuild and everything we had has been lost,” said protester Humayun Khan.

“Na roti, Na kapra, Na makan” was the most popular slogan and thousands joined in to chant the pun on the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) slogan.

“Our leaders are happily living in mansions while half of the country has been rendered homeless. The worst bit is they don’t even care enough to help us rebuild,” said rally leader Monu.

The protesters demanded that government immediately release the second instalment of Watan Cards totalling Rs80,000 each. “If they can’t help keep us alive then why are they in government,” Monu said.

While addressing the flood victims, several civil society members said that the federal and provincial governments have failed to address their problems. “They have forgotten all about us,” they said. Several protesters said that they hadn’t even received the first instalment for the Watan Cards. “I don’t expect a second instalment because I haven’t even gotten the first yet. Still I am here because these people need to know they cannot keep treating us like this,” said Rajanpur reisent Pervaiz.

The protesters said that there were presently over Rs22 billion in the Prime Minister’s Relief Funds but they had not been used. “Where is this money going? This isn’t money for our relief but for the prime minister’s own relief,” he said.

The flood victims said that the money lying in the relief fund ought to be used to pay the Watan Card instalment. “What is most annoying is that these people seem to refer to themselves as ‘Khadam-e- Ala’. The people never gave them this title and they won’t,” said Muzaffargarh resident Haroon.

On the occasion, speakers expressed serious concerns over the non issuance of Watan Cards and demanded the second instalment of the Watan Cards within the month.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 11^th,  2011.