Floods 2012: Ministers try to brighten up Eid for survivors of natural disaster

A large mela was organised near the Jacobabad bypass where rides for children were set up.

SUKKUR: Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah decided to celebrate Eidul Azha a little differently this year: flanked by other ministers, he headed out to rain-hit areas, trying to add a hint of happiness to the lives of the people who had been devastated by the floods.

The itinerary included Jacobabad, Kashmore, Qamber-Shahdadkot and Larkana. On the first day of Eid, the chief minister and provincial ministers Ayaz Soomro and Agha Siraj Durrani visited Garhi Khuda Bukhsh. While talking to the media, the chief minister said that the law and order situation in Karachi was indeed worrisome, but nothing like the media’s depiction of it. He tried to put things into perspective and said that five or six daily killings in a city with more than 20 million people was a fairly low rate.

Later, he reportedly gave away cheques amounting to Rs300,000 each to three families which lost their members to the natural calamity. The chief minister also attended an event that the provincial government organised at Ratodero for around 10,000 people.

Haleem Adil Shaikh, the adviser to the chief minister on relief, told The Express Tribune that the occasion would be a perfect opportunity to talk to the victims of the calamity. “MNA Aijaz Jakhrani and senator Ajiz Dhamra were also present.” Cooked food was distributed among 50,000 people in different flood-hit areas. Shaikh said that in the main event organised at Jacobabad bypass, food was distributed to more than 3,000 people. As a part of the event, famous folk singers took the stage and tried to make the crowd forget about the devastation the rains had wrought. Rides were set up for children for the same purpose. Toys were distributed to children living in relief camps set up at City College and Eid Gah as well as those next to Ahmed Mian Canal and Jan Jacob Graveyard.

The Sindh government reportedly provided 30 sacrificial animals for 15 union councils of Kashmore. Food and toys were also distributed among 5,000 people in Thull, Mirpur Buriro, Mubarak Pur and Misri Pur.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 30^th, 2012.