Pakistan: People in Gwadar’s Mohalla Band criticise “administrative negligence” after floods

Balochistan [Pakistan], March 3 (ANI): After unbearable disasters caused by torrential rains and floods in Balochistan’s Gwadar city and many parts still waiting for assistance, the people of Mohalla Band area have criticised “administrative negligence” which they stressed added to their woes, Pakistan-based The News International reported.

Residents of the Mohalla Band area are still awaiting government assistance. Homes and even a graveyard of Mohalla Band were submerged due to floods.

Habib, a resident of the affected area, has lost his home and his father’s grave. The Gwadar city is populated inward from the coastal area in old Gwadar city. Following the recent floods, the Mohallah Band area of the old city is no longer suitable for living.

Water from drains and waste has entered homes, impacting many residents. While people living in the region are saving their lives, Habib from Mohalla Band has stepped out of his house to restore his father’s grave, The News International reported.

“This flood destroys my father’s grave which needs to be restored. My house is drowned too but we are still alive and will somehow find a solution, however, the deceased ones cannot,” Habib said, his voice filled with emotion.

He said, “If I don’t repair his grave then this last memory [of my father] will be completely vanished.”

Habib is among several residents of the area who have suffered due to the rainfall during the winter season and are waiting for an effective response from the authorities which declared Gwadar calamity-hit, The News International reported.

The people who desperately wait for assistance said that their area was impacted due to the flow of rainwater from three spots together. However, the authorities did not take a single step to stop the drainage into the populated spots.

The residents said, “We can neither leave our homes nor wait for the authorities any longer,” The News International reported citing Geo News. Several people stepped out of their homes to share their ordeal which exposed the extreme negligence of authorities adding to their troubles.

Criticising the insufficient response of authorities to disasters, a resident said, “Gwadar has been struck by a calamity but the deputy commissioner says the destruction is not large-scale. They are all telling lies.”

Meanwhile, Baloch Yakjehti Committee in a post on X stated, “Baloch Solidarity Committee leader Mahrang Baloch and other colleagues are currently in Gwadar and are giving details regarding the flood situation. After reviewing the situation, the Baloch Solidarity Committee team has said that the situation in Gwadar after the flood is more worrying than expected, the negligence of the state institutions has made the situation more serious.”

“While the people of Gwadar are removing the flood water from the houses and the city with your help and helping their people. Dr. Mahrang Baloch has said that currently, people in Gwadar are in dire need of medicine, doctors, nursing staff, water extraction machines and basic food. Baloch nation should reach Gwadar without any delay to help their people and send necessities to Gwadar,” it added.