December 8, 2005

The blame game must end now. The government and its critics must realize the enormity of the problem. Since October 8 when Pakistan fell under the spell of a catastrophic earthquake, the people have witnessed unimaginable sufferings. Death and devastation have ruled with impunity. Thankfully the bewildered nation responded positively to the challenges and came to the rescue of the helpless community.

It was, however, unfortunate that the government leaders and the opposition stalwarts almost came to blows over the manner in which the relief and rehabilitation efforts were being handled by the authorities. While relief in cash and kind was pouring in from all over the country as well as abroad, one thing was absolutely clear. There was a horrifying gap between the need and the availability of relief materials. The problem was of a terrifying magnitude. The response of the people was really unexpected.

Schoolchildren who were unable to understand the implications of the tragedy came rushing with their pocket-money. They did it on their own without any prompting or persuasion. I watched with a great deal of admiration young American toddlers in New York and Houston joining their Pakistani friends and classmates in their anxiety to help the victims. A small world indeed!

True, the relief and rescue teams organized by the government could not reach many of the devastated parts of the Northern Areas well in time. Long before the arrival of the officially sponsored relief workers, several non-government organizations and individuals, taking all the risks, reached the inaccessible areas with relief goods. All this could happen only because goodness triumphs even in the most difficult times.

But there were also some cases of gross violations of human dignity. There were reports that some human traffickers tried to exploit the situation. The orphans were their main targets. They made desperate efforts to whisk away young boys and girls to fulfill their base desires. This, however, happens even in other civilized societies. In New Orleans in the United States, cases of molestations and rape were reported from the shelters that were provided to the helpless victims of hurricane Katrina.

Immensely painful was the realization that in the past half century, no government –– civilian or military –– ever thought of improving the conditions in the Northern Areas and Azad Kashmir. These localities have great fascination for the tourists. Our scientists and geologists should have identified the vulnerable areas and advised the government to take concrete steps for the welfare of the people living on high mountains and along volatile rivers. This beautiful country which was achieved after great sacrifices of brave people was left at the mercy of adventurers who never allowed democracy to take root in the soil. As a result, an island of prosperity was created in the vast sea of poverty and deprivation.

There is no harm in admitting that lack of coordination was very obvious in relief operations. The opposition’s complaint or grievances on this count are genuine. The catastrophe demanded a comprehensive plan extending over a long period with the cooperation of all political parties of all hues and complexions. This was not done, possibly by design. The opposition parties which had earlier announced their unanimous decision to launch a country-wide movement for the restoration of genuine democracy postponed their programme in the face of the earthquake. In the circumstances this was the only sensible thing to do.

But the military-run government did not welcome this gesture of goodwill. With its commitment to solo flights, it took serious and far-reaching decisions on its own. The federal cabinet or the National Assembly which has a semblance of an elected institution was not involved in the major policy decisions. While the opposition parties decried the decision to invite Nato forces in the country, the power-wielders did not consider their protest worth considering. Now it has been announced that these forces will not be allowed to stay beyond their allotted time.

While both the government and the opposition parties have reasons to pursue their own point of view, there is a need to end the meaningless tirade against each other. It is time for them to realize that the most challenging task –– rehabilitation lies ahead. For this the cooperation of each and every political party is needed. There is no point in blaming each other.

Yes, the rulers should have associated all political parties and politicians in handling this gigantic task. The armed forces have done a commendable job. But it is not a law and order problem. The local representatives are familiar with the terrain and know the people and their problems.They could have rendered a great help in identifying the inaccessible areas and the way to overcome the difficulties. The co-operation of the people at every stage is essential. This is what democracy is all about.

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