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Pakistan Politics - Pakistan Woes

PAKISTAN: Polluted water continues to kill in Sindh

More than 75 people, mostly children, have been reported dead after drinking polluted water while another 6,600 have been hospitalised over last six weeks across Pakistan's southern province of Sindh, a health activist told IRIN. He also expressed grave concern over the negligence of water and sanitation authorities.
Ref. https://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/I...3852fbb53ff.htm

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What bothers me is that it continues to happen. It doesn't appear as if the authorities are in a huge rush to get the problem fixed. Of course, so far its the children suffering. If the leader of Pakistans child died from the horrible water, then I'm sure it would be resolved much quicker. Some of the problem resides in the fact that their is no enough money in the country to have a national water treatment plan in place. But as usual, in the mean time, the children suffer. Instead of war, the US should focus their money and actions on helping countries fix problems like this. In my opinion, using the money from the Iraqi war to help other countries upgrade their infrastructure would be better spent and more productive.

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I agree with you 100% Konquererz. There are so many countries in desperate need of help from richer nations. It seems like a terrible waste of money waging ideological or resource motivated wars when that money could be better spent saving, instead of destroying lives.

In saying that I don't think it is just up to the US. Every nation who can afford to lend a helping hand should. I have visited India which has similar water problems to Pakistan. I was told by a local doctor that over half the population will experience respiratory problems due to pollution and one in three will get debilitating conditions or disease associated with dirty drinking water.

I don't know how accurate those figures are, but it is very obvious that people who live in those conditions will never enjoy the sort of basic human rights, like clean water, that I take for granted.

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This discussion is heading a bit offtopic. Let's keep the discussion on Pakistan.

Now, considering that Pakistan has decided to spend its resources on nuclear weapons, instead of water purification and other infrastructure, what can they do about the situation now?

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One has to wonder why people in Pakistan do not rebel - are they tired - or just used to what is being dished out. I am sure if you eat spoiled fruit long enough that you will begin to savor the taste and even find ways to make it taste better, but it is still spoilt. Does a military coup have to remove the military government there? Seems to me that this region craves power in the form of war and they ware willing to sacrifice the very essence of life to obtain it.

Here is a good one... I went to the Pakistan Government's web site to try and find out what the social statistics are for health, etc. When I click on the link (scroll down on left) you get a missing page:
https://www.statpak.gov.pk/depts/index.html

Pakistan Politics - Pakistan Woes

I am surprised that no one has taken time to mention the horrible natural disaster that occurred in Pakistan killing thousands upon thousands. Indeed, this is much worst that Katrina and yet is not covered here. I would like to touch on two things:

* Is the lack of help that citizenry are receiving further proof that Pakistan is very behind and should be spending more in infrastructure, health, etc. ?

* Is the aide the world giving to Pakistan good enough or is it begging?

CANADA TO BOOST PAKISTAN RELIEF CASH

The federal government will announce extra aid for desperate earthquake
survivors in Pakistan Wednesday, the deadline it had set for relief
donations from individual Canadians to be matched dollar for dollar.
Ref. https://www.cbc.ca/story/world/national/200...lief051026.html

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JB, I've written stories about this devastating earthquake. I interviewed one Sydney man the other week who has lost 43 relatives in Balakot. This earthquake is one of the most devastating in modern history.

So far there are over 80,000 confirmed dead but this toll could easily double. There are still many remote mountainous parts which are hard to reach and unaccounted for. The onset of winter will kill thousands more people who are homeless and can not find shelter.

Just to give you an idea of the scope, there are well over 3,000,000 people who are now homeless.

I think the international relief effort has been pathetic. It is a far cry from the wonderful effort that followed the Tsunami and to a lesser degree Katrina.

From what I can gather, the Pakistani government was caught off guard by the sheer magnitude of this disaster. But since, it has managed it in the best way it can. The problem is that the terrain in that region is harsh and mountainous. It's difficult to reach many affected areas by land and Pakistan doesn't have an endless supply of helicopters to cope.

Allowing India to help is a big step for this troubled country so I think the government is trying everything they can.

Why have we neglected Pakistan?

I think there are several reasons. A lot of people and countries gave generously for the tsunami relief effort, which has meant they are less able for this. I think people are also emotionally drained by all the recent disasters and are probably switching off from it.

The mere fact nobody wants to discuss the earthquake shows me that people are either not that connected to the region, or don't care. The media certainly has been terrible in it's lackluster coverage. Maybe had there been more tourists in the region with video cameras it might have been different.

I think Pakistan is not a desirable country for international political leaders to be seen helping. It is am Islamic nation and probably the largest hotbed for Islamic fundamentalism. Leaders probably feel uncomfortable helping Pakistan out because of their own geo-political convictions. Kashmir, which is known as Jammu in Pakistan, is also a disputed provence. Showing too much support could upset India, one of the world's emerging powers.

I don't believe much more money could have been spent on infrastructure. Pakistan is a very poor nation and has been at war for so many years. There simply isn't the money.

Musharef is between a rock and a hard place. In managing his country he has to try and appease the international community without upsetting the parochial Islamic population. Pakistan has inherited many terrorists from Afghanistan as a result of the war with Russia and the more recent coalition led invasion. There are parts of the country which the government has no control over and this is no fault of their current administration.

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Well I would like to believe that they are happening too many, too often. Pakistan's latest disaster is terrible, but it is not the USA, so it is not getting the coverage it should, possibly the media in Pakistan itself should be doing a better job of this.

You know what, that number is too overwhelming and maybe that is another reason help is not forth coming. It could be possible that many in the deepest of them think that their contribution would not make a difference.

I see gross repercussions coming from this, government take over, a life style closer to that of the Taliban that acts as authority among the homeless - who knows.

Offtopic but, One has to wonder why this would happen to Pakistan at this time. Is it because of past 'terror'? I am sure many will say it is because they are helping the US, but what really is the reason?