Water shortage: Volunteers denied access to facilitate protesters
A truck with 22,000 water bottles was supplied to the people at the sit-in almost everyday.
ISLAMABAD:
Before clashes erupted between the Pakistan Awami Tehreek and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf members and police at the Red Zone, supporters were facilitated with water and food supplies by volunteers.
However, since the fighting began, water and food suppliers have been denied access by the police.
Taimur, a resident of the capital and a volunteer, was regularly going to the parliament to supply food and water to the protesters. He had been generating funds through social media from which he was purchasing 1500 water bottles to distribute daily.
Until Saturday night, Taimur had managed to facilitate people with 11,600 meals along with other supplies such as sanitary napkins for women and pampers for children. Taking his usual route to the parliament, security officials were familiar with his schedule. “I had no issues going through security checks and other hurdles. Last night when trying to take water bottles for those at the Red Zone, my friends and I faced resistance from the police,” he said. “We could not go beyond a certain point,” he informed.
A truck with 22,000 water bottles was supplied to the people at the sit-in almost everyday. However, as party members had encouraged people belonging to different constituencies to be a part of the rally, party members were also discriminating on these grounds while handing out food and water, he explained. Moreover, there was no breakfast provided to the people, informed Taimur, adding that the only meal they were getting was lunch.
Taimur said the situation intensified since the past two days and water supply provided by volunteers was halted in the past 24 hours. A message was circulated amongst volunteers to divert their supplies towards the hospitals where people were pouring in every few minutes.
“The resistance from the police has discouraged several volunteers who were supplying regularly,” he said.
Taimur Rehman, CEO of Webkanics, had been engaging people through social media to volunteer and donate food and water bottles for protesters. Rehman, while carrying water bottles, was not allowed to access the Red Zone Saturday night. “People trying to take food are not allowed to enter,” said Rehman. The protesters are now on their own, he added.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 1st, 2014.
Before clashes erupted between the Pakistan Awami Tehreek and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf members and police at the Red Zone, supporters were facilitated with water and food supplies by volunteers.
However, since the fighting began, water and food suppliers have been denied access by the police.
Taimur, a resident of the capital and a volunteer, was regularly going to the parliament to supply food and water to the protesters. He had been generating funds through social media from which he was purchasing 1500 water bottles to distribute daily.
Until Saturday night, Taimur had managed to facilitate people with 11,600 meals along with other supplies such as sanitary napkins for women and pampers for children. Taking his usual route to the parliament, security officials were familiar with his schedule. “I had no issues going through security checks and other hurdles. Last night when trying to take water bottles for those at the Red Zone, my friends and I faced resistance from the police,” he said. “We could not go beyond a certain point,” he informed.
A truck with 22,000 water bottles was supplied to the people at the sit-in almost everyday. However, as party members had encouraged people belonging to different constituencies to be a part of the rally, party members were also discriminating on these grounds while handing out food and water, he explained. Moreover, there was no breakfast provided to the people, informed Taimur, adding that the only meal they were getting was lunch.
Taimur said the situation intensified since the past two days and water supply provided by volunteers was halted in the past 24 hours. A message was circulated amongst volunteers to divert their supplies towards the hospitals where people were pouring in every few minutes.
“The resistance from the police has discouraged several volunteers who were supplying regularly,” he said.
Taimur Rehman, CEO of Webkanics, had been engaging people through social media to volunteer and donate food and water bottles for protesters. Rehman, while carrying water bottles, was not allowed to access the Red Zone Saturday night. “People trying to take food are not allowed to enter,” said Rehman. The protesters are now on their own, he added.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 1st, 2014.