PAKISTAN LEADER FACES FURY OVER FLOODS

[“We want to warn everyone that the crisis facing Pakistan is enormous,” said Mengesha Kebede, a representative of the United Nations refugee agency. “There continues to be massive destruction as the bloated rivers flow inexorably southwards across the plains.”

On Friday, a day after Mr. Zardari visited flood-affected areas in his native Sindh Province, a spokesman announced that the president would shorten, but not cancel, a planned visit to Russia and would forgo celebrations of Pakistan’s Independence Day, on Saturday, and instead visit flood victims.]

By SALMAN MASOOD and WAQAR GILLANI

Flood survivors ate donated food near a camp in Sukkur on Friday.

Their president faces an outcry over a European trip.More Photos »

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — With Pakistanis bracing for more rain and floods, President Asif Ali Zardari struggled Friday to confront a barrage of criticism over his recent visit to Europe, undertaken while rivers gorged by monsoon rains ravaged large portions of the country — a trip that critics have derided as “insensitive” and a “joy ride.”

The flooding, which began in late July, has killed an estimated 1,600 people and affected 14 million, according to relief agencies. Aid agencies and the United Nations warned on Friday that the disaster was still mounting, with devastating outbreaks of water-borne disease an additional likelihood.

“We want to warn everyone that the crisis facing Pakistan is enormous,” said Mengesha Kebede, a representative of the United Nations refugee agency. “There continues to be massive destruction as the bloated rivers flow inexorably southwards across the plains.”

On Friday, a day after Mr. Zardari visited flood-affected areas in his native Sindh Province, a spokesman announced that the president would shorten, but not cancel, a planned visit to Russia and would forgo celebrations of Pakistan’s Independence Day, on Saturday, and instead visit flood victims.

Such gestures may be inadequate, some analysts said.

“I think he is in serious trouble,” said Ikram Sehgal, a defense and political analyst based in Karachi. “It was extremely insensitive of him to leave the country. It has gone down very badly and has left the country shaken.”

Health workers said that although supplies of food and safe drinking water were a priority, they had been alarmed by health hazards from dirty floodwater warmed by summer heat.

“If we don’t act fast enough, the death toll will increase,” said Maurizio Giuliano, spokesman for the United Nations humanitarian effort. He said about 36,000 potentially lethal cases of acute diarrhea had been reported.

With flooding affecting as much as a quarter of the country and continuing, Mr. Giuliano said in a telephone interview, the relief effort is proving to be an enormous logistical challenge for the government and relief agencies.

“We’re assessing a situation while the disaster is still evolving,” he said.

The death toll, as well as damage to the country’s infrastructure and livestock, may be far greater than suggested by early estimates, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani said in a report carried by the state-run Associated Press of Pakistan.

The International Monetary Fund said the rising waters had caused major economic damage.

In southern Punjab Province on Friday, the government was trying to help large numbers of people on the move in Muzaffargarh District. As many as 800,000 people in the district were evacuated late Thursday and remained camped along the sides of roads, said Farasat Iqbal, the district administrator.

Many areas outside the district’s main city, also called Muzaffargarh, remained flooded on Friday, Mr. Iqbal said.

“The next 24 hours are crucial,” he said. “Many parts of the districts, including towns and villages, are inundated.”

New flooding was also reported in the Rajanpur district in southern Punjab Province, said a district police officer, Suhail Zafar Chathha.

“The water is five to six feet up in many towns and villages in the district, including the worst-hit areas of Jampur and Kot Mithan,” Officer Chathha said. “More than 60 percent of the population of the district is affected, and more flooding is coming.”

The damage is so extensive that even an end to the rains will not bring an end to the emergency, some relief officials warned.

In a statement, Mr. Kebede, from the United Nations refugee agency, said that “this crisis will not be over when the floodwaters recede” and that hunger and illness would expose women and children in particular “to grave situations.”

Salman Masood reported from Islamabad, and Waqar Gillani from Punjab Province. Kevin Drew contributed reporting from Hong Kong, and Alan Cowell from Paris.

@ The New York Times

CMMENT(S)

In Such Situation, If US Does Not Come For The Rescue Of Pakistani Administration, Then Who Will?

On Sun, Aug 15, 2010 at 12:33 AM, Hindu Media Monitoring Bharat wrote:

Sub:- Pakistan floods invite criticism of Pakistani politicians.

Your post shows that  recent floods affected 14 millions people in Pakistan which is wrong. As per reports reaching from inside, 20 millions are effected.

As your post shows, the Pakistani President’s visit to United Kingdom is only a joy ride. Various pictures appearing in print media tell that he went their to relax while his Pakistan is full of ethnic violence, terrorist attacks and floods. But in the same time there is nothing wrong from the view point of  the two sections of Pakistani population.

The present Pakistan is basically divided into two halves of its population. The first one  is the ruling Punjabi Pakistani section. This section is always  pro-west, get support from the West and always rules Pakistan either in the name of democracy  or military rule. This section of people has nothing to do with the problems of Pakistanis in general. That is why Pak President vacationed in the United Kingdom. There are quite a number of photos his son, in print media, hanging around with his girl friends.

The second group of population belongs to normal mass of non-Punjabis who are always oppressed and disadvantaged. It is the militant section who seems ready, though not fully capable, to helping out people in disaster of this magnitude.

Regarding the United States’ offer of aid, it is the duty of United States to offer to the Pakistani administration to distribute ‘only small part’ of it to the flood affected people so that the Pakistanis would  maintain their faith in the puppet Islamabad administration. Ultimately, it is the Washington or in other words the US Army who rules Pakistan  through proxies in Islamabad administration and Pakistan Army as well.

The situation is that US Army can arrest any body in Pakistan and Pakistan Army, Pakistani Police ensure that the family members and others of the arrested person do not dare any resistance. In such a situation if US does not come for the rescue of Pakistani administration, then who will?

Anyway according to reports coming from inside Pakistan, the militants are providing good service to the  flood affected people. These militant are also reported hoping that they would have success in their mission.

Hindu Media Monitoring – India,

New Delhi.