Thousands of survivors have as many tales

“I have been staying at the Quetta railway station for the past three days without any kind of relief, while not a single representative of the government has visited us,” said 65-year-old Sikandar, who was forced to relocate to Quetta from Jacobabad with his four sons as a result of floods.

Sikandar said that he does not know where his family can get relief goods. “We have been given food and water by people living near the station,” he said, adding that he had lost all his belongings in Jacobabad.

A large number of flood victims belonging to Jacobabad, Naseerabad and Jaffarabad have migrated to Quetta, taking shelter in different parts of the city including the railways station, Saryab Road, Brewery Road, Sibi Road and Eastern Bypass.

According to officials, one million people have been displaced as a result of floods in Jafarabad, while almost the same number of people, hailing from different parts of Sindh, have come to Quetta.

Trying to make the most out of this situation are transporters who are charging extremely high fares in view of the overwhelming number of displaced people. There has been no decrease in fares despite Chief Minister Nawab Aslam Raisani’s orders to the concerned authorities to look into the matter.

“A large number of people are still stranded in Dera Allahyar while others are selling their assets such as jewelleries and cows at throwaway prices to meet the transportation and accommodation costs.” Khalid, a resident of Bangun Baba Kot of Dera Allahyar told The Express Tribune. Khalid said that he had sold his cows and some jewellery to ensure a week’s stay in Quetta.

When contacted, government officials said that the displaced persons living at the railway station and on roadsides were being transferred to relief camps and that the process may take one more day. Commissioner Quetta Division Muhammad Naseem Lehri said that the administration has registered 1,513 families so far who he said have come to Quetta from Jaffarabad and Jacobabad. “They are being shifted to relief camps in Eastern Bypass,” he added.

“The administration has set up three relief camps and is making efforts to reach out to every survivor. Officials are still busy locating those who are living on roads and the railway station,” Lehri said.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 17^th, 2010.