Withdrawal of water reveals Pakistani Government’s inability in aid management
Islamabad (AsiaNews) - In Pakistan floodalert level remains high in the southern provinces, but government officials ensure that the worst is over. Now they are turning to the 17 million displaced people and rebuilding the country devastated by raging waters. The receding rivers, however, have raised the level of controversy over the management of billions of dollars sent by the international community to the government, which could fill the pockets of local politicians.
In recent days, Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani, said that "80% of the foreign aid will come to Pakistan through NGOs which will siphon off half of the same with impunity." Made aware of the gaffe, the premier immediately corrected himself, saying that " money not destined for the purchase of aid, serves local organizations to pay the expenses and staff salaries". International humanitarian agencies, have reported that despite "the lack of credibility, the Pakistani government is doing its best in aid management”. However, they emphasize the lack of mutual trust between authorities and international donors, which often hampers efforts to cope with flooding, decreasing the confidence of donors. According to a European diplomat in Pakistan, who remains anonymous for security reasons, "the distribution of aid is slow because the money that Pakistan has received in the past has never been managed with transparency". He recalls how the 6 billion dollars donated by the international community to the earthquake in Kashmir in 2005, was never used to rebuild damaged homes and infrastructure. "The problems on the ground - says the source - are due to local NGOs. There are many organizations in the provinces of Multan, Faisalabad, Karachi, Hyderabad, Doba Tek Singh and other areas, which are headed by one person". "The leaders of these organizations – he continues- only take advantage of the situation. They send relief supplies to 200-300 families are photographed while giving aid and send the images to get more money abroad. " The diplomat adds that "these ghost NGOs, do not have the qualified personnel to rescue people, like doctors, nurses. They only interested in making money. " The source says the government is checking their authenticity, but calls on donors to verify the final destination of their money, avoiding those NGO formed by a few people.
Meanwhile, in Sindh province near the mouth of the Indus River, the city of Thatta and other villages are still under water. Thousands of people have been forced from their homes and fled to the hill that houses the town cemetery. They complain to AsiaNews about the delay of relief and chaos in the distribution of aid with hordes of people chasing vehicles distributing food and water, leaving the elderly and infirm without any help. Nasim, a 75 year old Christian, says: "At my age I can not run after the food and survive in this mad crush". "They throw food from trucks as if we were animals – he continues, revealing that he has seen many people drinking dirty rainwater.
In the town of Larkana, the population describes similar problems. Newly built infrastructure has been pulverized by the fury of water, delays in relief efforts, chaos in the distribution of aid. A humanitarian worker from Sindh province, says that "what is happening adds to the problems already afflicting Pakistan and its government." "We have no leadership – he continues - people do not know if the democratic government is managing aid operations or whether the military is. All I know is that there are many who are not receiving any assistance. "
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22/09/2016 08:53
