Rebuilding: one house at a time

MULTAN: Flood victims in different districts of southern Punjab have begun rebuilding their houses. People have started returning to their homes and many relief camps have now been removed as flood victims return to their villages. Multan tehsil Sanawan resident Muhammad Ashraf is among the hundreds heading home.

Asraf’s house has completely decimated in the floods but he remains determined to rebuild better than before.

“The floods have destroyed so many lives but we are all united in our grief and we will help each other rebuild from the rubble,” he said, adding that he had begun erecting walls where his house used to stand and is still hoping for the government’s help.

Ashraf said that he had experienced a veritable roller coaster of emotions over the past two months.

“First there were the floods and complete devastation and then the government promised that each person would get Rs20,000 to rebuild and we were hopeful.

The leaders also argued that we would get Rs100,000 each and that was when we realised that this was all a bidding competition for them to look good but we would be left alone,” he said.

“That is what has happened, it has been weeks since I lost my house and I have gotten nothing,” Ashraf adds.

Recently during a visit to a relief camp in Adda Basir, Muzaffargarh, Pakistan Muslim League- Nawaz (PML-N) chief Nawaz Sharif said that the government was determined to assist the flood victims in every way possible. Nawaz Sharif also said that he had directed Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif to provide the first instalment of aid to the flood affected people as soon as possible. “We were promised at least some aid before Eid but we haven’t seen any yet,” Mohammad Ashraf said.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani has reiterated his commitment to pursue a policy of reconciliation to solve the problems facing the country, particularly mitigating the suffering of the flood victims.

‘‘If all political forces unite we can solve these problems and mitigate the sufferings of flood victims. I ask MNAs and senators to divert their development funds to rebuild homes of flood affected people across the country,’’ he said.

Local philanthropists and the donors from the international community have contributed millions in the way of flood relief but Ashraf said the money is being usurped.

“My entire village camped at relief sites together and I know that no one has received any aid yet. Still I hear that much has been donated but it isn’t being distributed affectively,” he said.

Regional director Rabta Almi Islami Abdul Bin Muhammad Ibrahim Ateen said “We are ready to provide more help to the flood affected people before and after Eid.

These are hard and trying times but we are up to the challenge,” he said.

Ashraf says that he knows of dozens of people who lost their entire families in the floods. “I am grateful that I had no family to lose and don’t have to face the grief of losing those dear to me.

I have lost my home and my belongings but one can rebuild a home,” he said, adding that he was hoping to celebrate next Eid in his newly constructed house.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 14^th, 2010.