In a bid to win support of the masses in the backward areas of Sindh, the Pakistan Tehreek Insaf (PTI) leadership has started its political campaign in Tharparkar. In this regard, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi has reached Tharparkar district, where he is celebrating Diwali with the Hindu community and will also announce a development package. Tharparkar is a backward area where mostly Hindu community lives. The inhabitants suffer there due to non-availability of any civic facility and face recurrent draughts. The reaching of Mr. Qureshi in Tharparkar is a positive development as it will help ease the suffering of the residents who have been living under tough conditions. Among their problems, the non-availability of water is the biggest issue that makes them vulnerable to severe draughts on an yearly basis.
It has been a national dilemma that serious issues are dealt by those sitting at the helm of affairs in our country by applying naïve approaches instead of finding a permanent solution to longstanding problems. The non-availability of water and recurring droughts have become a permanent feature in Tharparkar but the provincial government in Sindh has failed to save the population in these calamity-hit areas. Efforts are needed to meet the water needs of thousands of Tharis who are living in utter poverty and fighting for their survival on a daily basis. Among the most daunting challenges, malnutrition and water crisis are hitting the population hard. Infants, being the most vulnerable, are becoming victims of this tragedy as death toll among children is continually rising. The most troubling aspect of this crisis is that the situation has not changed in the desert region for the last three decades. Unfortunately, Thar has the highest under five years mortality rate in Pakistan. Moreover, the lack of medical facilities and potable water have exacerbated the situation in Thar. Mainly the provincial and federal governments are responsible for the tragedy as they have failed to take required measures. The PTI government needs to take some concrete steps for the eradication of the water crisis.
