Council of wolves and snakes

The entire country is hit by massive flooding. People have lost their homes, their families and their loved ones. But instead of consoling them and helping them relocate, some sages decided that this would be the right time to preach these flood-struck victims the importance of ‘rectifying your deeds’ and ‘seeking God’s forgiveness’.

For a man who has lost everything, the last thing he wants to hear is that he deliberately called upon this calamity due to his dishonest dealings. That he lost his wife, his children, his family, his livestock because God was not content with him. Really? Is that how you hide your ineptness and incompetence? By misusing the word of God?

These farmers haven’t done anything to upset God. They don’t usurp money from the public exchequer, they don’t take bribes, they don’t embezzle tax money and they certainly don’t ride in high-end vehicles while their people die. If it’s anyone who deserves to face God’s wrath, it’s the ones sitting in the parliaments and in state offices.

Climate change has always been a legitimate concern. So much so that we set up a separate ministry known as the ‘Ministry of Climate Change’. But seems like that ministry and those running it are as useful as those trying to eat a shashlik with a straw. I am sure they would not even know what climate change is. Do these people even possess the relevant academic qualifications for running such a ministry? Clearly not, or else they would’ve seen this flood coming and would have taken certain measures to prevent such a catastrophe.

Another issue has been of funds. The government has been asking citizens to give funds to further aid in buying necessities for the flooding victims. The government has gone as far as asking other countries for providing aid. We of course cannot ask for aid from certain countries because they have been conspiring against us, right? (If you still continue to buy that rhetoric, you’re maybe just as deluded as the one selling you that rhetoric). But why do we have to ask for aid? Why don’t we use the money we collected for the Diamer-Bhasha dam? Assuming that money is still intact and hasn’t been usurped. The billions of rupees gathered for the fund were gathered from the public too, why not use them for the public’s good? I don’t want to be held in contempt (neither do I want to become a certain someone screaming ‘saans nahi arahi’) but someone ask the judiciary, where did the Diamer-Bhasha fund go?

And why are these ‘leaders’ asking for funds from the public any way? Have we not paid enough for their children’s expensive education from abroad and their wife’s jewelry sets? Why don’t they sell their expensive cars and one of their lavish homes to raise funds? I assure you, if each member of parliament sold one of their cars and one of their houses, they’d easily be able to feed an entire village for the next month. What are they asking us for? We’re already struggling amongst this heightened inflation.

Agreed, Pakistanis are one of the most charitable individuals but we’re also opportunists too. Prices of tents have been jacked up massively due to the ‘increased demand’ (talk about God’s wrath). Tents that normally cost 2,000 are now costing 12,000. Feudal lords have been caught smuggling the donation money and donation articles in their cars for their own personal use. I would not be surprised if the prices of donation articles such as biscuits, water bottles and medicines are jacked up too. We are a nation which thrives on people’s hardships. And you can’t even deny that because it is wholly true. Hand sanitisers, ring any bells?

My thoughts and prayers are with those who have been affected by this calamity. But this situation has been made worse due to mismanagement and incompetence of those in-charge. These are hungry, selfish, evil beings masquerading as the all-righteous and helpful. We see through your masks.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 1^st, 2022.

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