She blamed the deteriorating situation on the Sheerazi clan, who were in power in Thatta for most of the last decade under General Musharraf’s regime. “They did nothing to protect the embankments during their time and instead constructed dozens of illegal barriers to protect thousands of acres of their lands,” she alleged.
Palijo informed that the Sindh government demolished at least 54 such illegal dykes. “The Sheerazis had built farm houses and God knows what not illegally on kachcha areas,” she added.
Palijo claimed that the provincial government was taking action against all such unlawful constructions. However, when asked about the action taken against zamindars affiliated with the PPP who had also built such barriers, she said: “I don’t remember their names at the moment, but it must be on a list somewhere.”
DCO Thatta Manzoor Ali said overall 63 illegal embankments had been demolished.
MNA and PML-Q senior leader Ayaz Ali Shah Sheerazi accused the government of launching a campaign of revenge against his clan and supporters. He said similar barriers were also in place on lands owned by PPP members. “Why don’t they take down the barriers on lands owned by the Palijos themselves,” he retorted, adding that no action had been taken on lands owned by PPP MNA Abdul Wahid Soomro and MPA Hajji Muhammad Usman Jalbani.
Sheerazi claimed that the ‘real’ issue of the turf war between the two sides was not the illegal barriers. “Actually, our people had spotted the Palijos hoarding containers of relief goods at their godowns, and when we protested against them and staged a sit in, they started targeting our family,” he alleged. The Palijos say the claim is ridiculous.
Sassui says she has been working day and night to provide relief to the victims. “Under my supervision, we have successfully rescued more than 75,000 people and shifted them to 135 relief camps in the district, where the best food and medical facilities under the circumstances are being provided” she said.
Palijo said she feared the extremists could exploit the situation. “I want my people to prosper. I want Keti Bandar to be built as a modern port just like the one we have in Karachi. The floods have broken the back of the poor people and the government realises that these conditions are fertile for extremists to gain new ground. But we won’t let that happen,” she said.
Sheerazi said he would cooperate with the government in its relief efforts. He pleaded for rescue boats and transportation facilities for people stuck in Sajjawal tehsil.
A breach occurred early morning at MS embankment at Kot Almo in Sajjawal tehsil because of which flood waters are gushing towards Sajjawal, Mirpur Bhanoro and Daro cities. Thousands of people were escaping the area on whatever transportation they could get. The government issued warnings to the people to evacuate the areas.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 27th, 2010.
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