KARACHI, Aug 12: A group of flood-affected people of Badin, on Tuesday, staged a demonstration here in front of State Guest House in protest against the ill-managed distribution of relief funds among the deserving people.

Around 200 people, including women and children, came to Karachi in buses and staged a sit-in near the State Guest House. They tried to proceed to the Governor House, but the way was blocked by the police with barricades on Abdullah Haroon Road and Club Road.

The people were raising slogans against the distribution system of the relief fund meant for the flood affected people in Badin, where thousands of people were rendered homeless by torrential rains and flood.

The protesters said that the relief fund, given by the government, United Nations, NGOs, philanthropists and other organizations, were being distributed by the relief committees formed by the government. They said that the distribution was partial and biased.

They accused the area influential and elected representatives of misappropriating the relief fund and demanded an inquiry into it. They said that the rainwater had accumulated in many areas of Badin and several houses were still inundated. Due to the accumulation of rainwater, various diseases had been spreading.

The government had failed to provide health facilities to the victims, as there was no healthcare unit where any doctor was available nor medicine was being provided to those fell ill.

They alleged that the torrential rains had ruined the infrastructure of Badin district and the government had been doing nothing to restore it. Even the drinking water was not available for those residing in relief camps and other places. This had posed a serious health hazard and there was a constant threat of an epidemic, they added.

Later, the protesters dispersed peacefully and returned on buses.

Police and Rangers reached the spot and blocked the roads leading to the State Guest House. The blockage of roads resulted in traffic mess on Sharea Faisal, Abdullah Haroon Road, and Club Road. The traffic coming from Sharea Faisal was diverted to Fatima Jinnah Road, while the traffic coming from Clifton on Abdullah Haroon Road was diverted to Dr Ziauddin Ahmed Road.

Due to the traffic diversion and road blockage, severe traffic jams were witnessed on the roads leading to Hotel Metropole.