At the Mercy of ‘Mother Nature’:

Flood chases IDPs living on the sides of Nullah Lai

Naseer Ahmed, Barkat Ali, and Noor Muhammad are few of those unlucky persons who shifted to Rawalpindi and started living on the edge of Nullah Lai with their families after the disaster of flood hit their homes in 2010. A large number of the people migrated here from other cities due to heavy floods last year.

Poor people always live in troubles and tension till the end of their lives because nobody is ready to pay heed to or show concern over their troubles. They are considered aliens but they are from us. A large number of people who have been compelled to live on the sides of Nullah Lai are at the mercy of ‘mother nature’ as the second spell has reached the threshold that may cause huge human loss in the form of flood since they live in tents and pass a miserable life in this modern era.

While talking to INFN Naseer Ahmed said, “We belong to Muzafargarh which was badly affected by floods in 2010 forcing us to come here and start living near the Nullah Lai, Dhok Ratta as no one was ready to give us shelter and accept us in Rawalpindi being poor.”

“We cannot go anywhere else because no one is ready to accept and help us and treat us as humans”, an old woman, Ms. Shehzadi said.

Barkat Ali told INFN, “Nearly 200 persons who mostly comprised of innocent children and women were compelled to settle on the sides of Nullah Lai where the danger of flood is looming large which can take away all of us.”

“We do not have any facility of life like electricity, gas, drinking water and hearth for making food for our children,” Noor Muhammad added.

When INFN contacted Muhammad Makeen Shahbaz, Director General Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA), he said, “District Government did not give us any funds or advice for those people who are living near Nullah Lai. If district government gives us funds we will provide them safe shelters for the monsoon days at least.”

“I want to go to school and want to live at par with other children but who will fulfil my needs and desires?” 10-year old Sohail asked -- a food for thought for all of us as a nation.