Editor TLN
Six months after the calamity that sowed death and destruction across large parts of Pakistan, the families he helped they were forced to leave Allah Bachao Shoro because they were threatened by some Muslims. They continue to live in slums, under tents, exposed to insect bites and disease. “These cruel floods have ruined our lives. I pray to God to send someone to help us.”
Sindh () – More than six months after the devastating floods that devastated Pakistan last summer and caused serious damage to houses, crops, housing and infrastructure in a vast area of the country, the consequences are still overwhelming. In addition, discrimination against minorities is aggravating the situation.
Proof of this is what is happening in Allah Bachao Shoro (“May God save us”), the town in the province of Sindh most affected by the natural disaster and which helped through the campaign he launched to help the victims. The internal tensions fueled by the lack of basic necessities led the 45 Christian families to leave the town to avoid being victims of the violence of some Muslims.
Of the group, 16 families moved to Ghot Shora, another run-down area of Sindh, where a local social activist provided them with land to stay on; 12 families moved to Ghareebabad shanty and 17 families moved to Hari camp, on the banks of a canal. All of these families continue to live in tents provided to them through fundraising by and they are forced to sleep on the floor on sheets because they do not have adequate facilities.
There is also the problem of malaria and skin diseases that are spreading in these precarious living conditions, in addition to the problems derived from the use of canal water in the absence of more adequate water supply systems. Nasreen Bibi (pictured), a 38-year-old Christian woman and mother of three, was diagnosed by doctors with skin cancer and her kidneys are also not working well: “I don’t know when this terrible time will end,” she told – I’m sick of this pathetic life. I always look up and pray that Almighty God will send someone to help us. These cruel floods have ruined our lives.”
Imtiaz Masih, a local social activist, told : “It is very unfortunate that, because they have different faiths, people do not accept each other in such difficult times after the heavy floods. The Catholic Church tried to buy land for these people who had to move to other places; but the prices are through the roof: for an acre of land you need about 6-8 million rupees (20,000-27,000 euros), and the Church does not have that money. We do not see the end of the suffering of these people.”
