The devastating floods in Pakistan and the language of the “friends”

Pakistan today faces the worst flood of its history. The weathermen even claim that in the last 80 years floods of this intensity and ferocity haven’t been heard. Obviously, due to generally dormant monsoons over the past so many years, people had become accustomed to living in rather drier monsoons and the poor had built their dwellings inside the dried patches of the rivers along their length and breadth throughout the country.

So when the rains came this year, initially people thought that these would go away after a few days. But this time the rains came and stayed. The rains in coastal areas of Balochistan were first to bring disaster and miseries. While the local administration and the government was still busy in the relief operations, sudden flash floods hit the northern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhua (KPK). The gushing water swept away village after village before people had the time to move to safer places. It left more than 1500 dead in KPK province alone and almost 1.5 to 2 million people have been rendered homeless.

The water continues to go downstream, wreaking havouc in the provinces of Punjab and Sind. Millions more have become homeless and the estimate of destroyed property goes into billions. As of now, while the flood water is flowing downstream in Sind province (at a speed of around1 million cusecs), more rains are hitting the KPK bringing in more devastation.

Now this is what the ground reality is. Since the net and news are full of flood updates, the purpose of this blog is not to bring another update. It is in fact some disturbing e-mails and comments that I read today that made me write this post.

Pakistan being a poor country, already paying a heavy price of the so called American War on Terror, finds it today utterly helpless to bear the wrath of nature. And for this the government requested the international community for help. And many came forward and have done their best to help the flood devastated Pakistan. But what about the friends? I mean the Americans for whom we are fighting a war in search of OBL and his squad. Time will tell the true story behind the War on Terror being a big game to loot and plunder Iraq and Afghanistan. But the comments by the Americans have shown the true face of common Americans, whom many in Pakistan believe to be friends. The language used in some 200 comments that I read today was most bizarre, inhuman and derogatory. Just falling short of naked abuses, the comments show the lowest of human esteem and sick mindset.

Many have opined that since Muslims profess that every good or bad thing comes from Allah, so why don’t the Pakistan ask their Allah for the wrong He has done to them rather than begging the American tax payers for the aid. A sizeable number asks of Pakistan to first hand over OBL before begging them for aid money. Another writes, “Pakistan created jihadi terror - 1st to kill Hindus, then to target Americans. Now's the time to finish off Pakistan - take advantage of the natural disaster. Pakistan is an enemy of civilization.” And many bring in religion to vent their hatred towards Muslims. Read this, “Once again the islamist call out to the christians for help , they hate the christians yet understand that even when reviled and beaten the christians will continue to help them out of love for our saviour. these floods are allah's will and a warning that the muslims will be judged for there crimes against humanity by the creator. yet in their arrogance the timid moslems say nothing and reap destruction from the had of God. the muslim holy war will bring world wide destruction , it is no religion of peace , but a religion of slavery - just ask their women (spelling mistakes have not been corrected).” Another comments, “They call for more aid now, when their "cousins" in the Taliban just beheaded ten western medical workers? Fine, Ham Sandwiches on the way!”

The venom is ceaseless “...So now we're going to RUSH billions more US dollars to a country that hates us? Let the floods wash every one of them away....flush that toilet.” Another joins in to comment, “Since Muslims believe that everything that happens is Allah's will perhaps they should look at what they have been doing to cause him to bring down this misery and disaster upon them. I do have that right don't I. That is what they believe, correct?” Here is another one, “Let them ask the Taliban for help and cash in their war with India! Surrender OBL and we MIGHT consider "some" cash.”. And here is one last, “Stop begging for money and stop having your countrymen trying to explode bombs in our cities and we'll leave you alone. We left you alone after the afghan-soviet war and look at the dung you people created. Why is the president going around the world begging? You elected him right? You elected your entire government right? Stop begging for money and we'll stop trying to 'fill your pockets.”

I could go on and on quoting the hate stuff, but it really pained me to read more. I wish I were the president of the country and having read all these comments, I would have never asked the Americans for help or for that matter anyone else in the world. Our people have always risen to the occasion and donated as much as they can. It is only bad management that makes matters worse. Had we had our own house in order and well organized, we should have learnt to face the wrath of the nature ourselves from within, rather than listening to what the citizens of the most enlightened nation of the world have spewed for us.