HYERABAD: Awami Tahreek’s Hydrabad district organised a district-level workers’ convention and ‘help for flood affected people’ conference at local press club on Sunday, demanding provision of amenities to the people hit by floods.

Presided over by AT’s district president Sarmad Rajpar, the conference adopted various resolutions mentioning that the floods had played havoc with agriculture sector and caused human tragedy.

It said that Pakistan topped the list of countries affected by climate change, but federal and Sindh governments did not take any step to deal with the situation, despite early warnings.

It alleged that institutions like NDMA and Flood Commission were created to stomach funds, and there was no performance of the authority as no structure was created to cope with climate change impacts and its related problems. It added that millions were affected by floods in Sindh, Balochistan, Seraiki belt and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, but were not being provided anything.

It said that Supreme Court had earlier taken notice of embezzlement during pandemic. It also said that NDMA had been provided Rs1.3 trillion in current floods, although its performance had remained questionable.

It said that the provincial government had provided Rs1.62tr to Sindh irrigation department since 2012, but utilisation of funds on saline water drains, irrigation channels and river dykes was not seen. It claimed that these funds were used for Pakistan Peoples Party’s election campaign.

It demanded action and inquiries against irrigation officials to hold them accountable for funds misappropriation. It demanded action against irrigation minister, secretary and other officials for displacement of over 30 million people and loss of lives.

It said Sindh government was claiming expenditures for flood-affected people’s relief measures, but they were staying in schools and other relief camps without any amenities, including healthcare facilities.

Published in Dawn, September 19th, 2022