Express News screengrab.
ISLAMABAD/ HYDERABAD/ MITHI: “A total of 67 death cases of infants and children have been reported [in Tharparkar in the last three months],” stated a report submitted by the chief secretary of Sindh in the Supreme Court during the hearing of Tharparkar suo motu notice case, Express News reported.
This figure is around half of the deaths reported by Express News which put the toll at 129.
The report stated that 26 deaths were reported in December, 18 in January and 23 in February.
“Most of these deaths have been due to pneumonia, sepsis, birth asphyxia and very few from malnutrition. Sepsis is mainly due to use of unhygienic methods of delivery used by midwives and untrained local ‘da’is’,” the report states further.
According to the report, around 0.12 million wheat bags worth Rs429 million are being distributed amongst the affected people. “Around 80,000 bags have already been dispatched and received in the district.”
Justice Azmat Saeed, during the hearing of Tharparkar suo motu case, remarked that the people in the district do not need the prime minister or the chief minister but they need food.
“We should bow our heads in shame over what is happening there,” Chief Justice of Pakistan Tassaduq Hussain Jillani said about the situation in Tharparkar.
Latest casualties
The calamity claimed five more lives on Monday including a one-year-old child as well as two-year-old Babu and three-year-old Samina who died in Civil Hospital, Hyderabad.
Five children are currently under treatment at the same hospital.
At least 129 children have lost their lives in the last three months because of the drought in Tharparkar.
COMMENTS (30)
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I am an architecture student from Department of Visual Studies , University of Karachi What i read above is really heart wrenching If the concerned authority are not doing well ( as it was expected ) there are certain ways to solve this up on permanent basis!
If the water table is low and it turns salty during drought, fresh water can be harvested from it naturally, without using any external energy source. It will be fresh as well as healthy we just have to follow the laws derived by nature like how a desert beetle get water in drought.
The harvested water can then be feed to hydro and aquaponics system where they can grow fish and veggies in very controlled environment for their community and live stocks. it might not be on farm level but it can be done for a family as mentioned in other article that they live in small pockets as a result it will create a micro climate for survival. It can be on community scale where they will manage and sustain the whole system which is very low cost and vernacular in nature and also develop their communities It will definitely be fruitful. It is practical !! Water is definitely a natural resource. Harvesting water will be like printing the money.
Next thing you know, most of these deaths were due to Aliens firing beams from above. They will go to any length not to implicate themselves or their gross negligence.
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
We, instead of criticising the system, should do our bit to help the victims. Let's not expect anything from the Government or politicians. Let's wake the humanity up within ourselves. There are 28 people including me who have passed the comments if each one of us realise ones responsibility then it could be a different story. At an instance, if each one contribute RS 10, 000 we can accumulate 280, 000 and help the victims with food and water.
Let's be practical and take the initiative in the prime interest of humanity.
'Only 'a few' deaths? Even a single death due to negligence is as many as 190 million deaths,provided someone cares to feel the pain of those who are suffering.We could easily top the list of shamelessness if Guinness book kept the records for this too
Drought, corruption, religious fanaticism, a selfish and clueless ruling elite. Perfect storm for a rotten system that needs to be overthrown.
Shame for PPP. I am ashamed of voting for PPP.
Bilwal is just coming for photo session,to thar. he and his party is not sincerely taking care of the people,in thar their is hold of his party,but none of them,MNA/MPA hasn't raised voice of great issue of famine hit shortage of food,and children deaths due to malnutrition.NGOs are not sincerely work,the only collect fund to fill their own pockets in the name of poor thari people. The funds and help has been offered and announced for recent will also go in the hands of NGOs and Jiyalas,victims remain in same situation,as they were/are.It is duty of government to call back those doctors are working in big cities in their private clinics,and their posting is in Thar.
these poor people are treated worst than animal by PPP govt.....to be used as a sindh card in future...why sindhi nationalist are silent....
Whare is CM Sindh, Tappi?
We need to increase the defense budget further. Salaries and perks must get automatic increments. The people can survive on the crumbs or grass but the bomb factories must be running. We can divert the discussion to everybody but where does all the budget spent? Unless budget allocations are changed and openly discussed nothing would happen.
@Chairman Mao: When is food secretary is the son in law of the CM and the DC the son of Amin Fahim, who will take action against these feudal lords?
ye musalman hain jin ko kar sharmaye yahood
Terrible but the politicization of this tragedy must end now.
Even a single death is too many. This government should be charged with murder charges.
So? Is 67 a small number? Shame on Sindh government.
I felt shame and guilt when I was filling my greed and your children died with no food. Oh people of Thar I am your culprit curse me
who cares about pakistanis?? pakistanis are more cared about kashmiris getting suspended...just at the pics...makes me wanna cry looking at them....pathetic....
When one sees the opulence of our leaders........then even ONE death due to drought or starvation is a disgrace. Lets keep in mind the ' Sindh Festival ' cost the poor of Sindh about 5 BILLION Rupees.
I am ashamed of the governance of the Sind Government. In any civil society,the Minister responsible and Chief Minister should have resigned. Super Sain where are you?
good job by P.M. on hi security aspects, u r public rep , must meet directly. no security required, no bulet proof car, no special aircraft. 2) AT THE SAME TIME GD JOB BY CJS.
This will result into disguise.
VIEW / QUESTION :how come CJ sb did not direct the authorities to start criminal negligence proceedings on the government servants responsible of that area ?? , i as a bystander clearly understand and see it was a failure of elected & of the government servants ....however lives have perished and all our government can do is put a rupee value on life... how shameful.
They say a picture is worth a 1000 words. How true. He is looking like his true self in this one.
@Voice Of D.I.Khan Don't blame democracy, Dictator still has a similar protocol even after his era.
@Voice Of D.I.Khan: Seems like we are enjoying the results of voting for such candidates!
Prince Bilawal Zardari is also descending on Thar and that will be the greatest nuisance of all for his subjects
Democracy has two more ingredients that are missing in our country. 1 intra party elections 2 local government bodies... We don't have a democracy Pakistan.
@Voice of D.I.Khan: Yes, Musharraf lived simple life and he does not have too many people to protect him, just 2200 commandos along the way when he travels.
Dear army rule wishers, What it got to do with democracy.