2020 has been a tough year for Pakistan so far. The unexpected wave of Coronavirus caused numerous casualties and brought life to a complete halt. Now when people had only started to recover and return to normal life, a series of continuous rainfall befell the country – causing havoc in Sindh especially. While the rest of Pakistan enjoyed the drop in high temperatures, the past two weeks were devastating for Karachi: the city of lights had turned into an abyss of darkness and despair amid heavy downpours.
Heart-wrenching images have been circulating on the internet that provide a glimpse into life in Karachi: an old man carrying his sewing machine (the only source of his income), struggling shop owners desperately looking for intact items so they could salvage some of their life’s work, and kittens drowning in rainwater. Roads and underpasses are filled with water to the brim. The vehicles of those who saved for ages to buy a car are now submerged and forever lost, and the destruction of houses has left people without any place to seek shelter.
The residents have been deprived of electricity for days. Many civilians have not only lost their homes and livelihood but their loved ones too. The rainwater has mixed with sewage water which is a great threat to the health of many. In areas like Malir, the water is increasing to a dangerous level every day, leaving the residents in a state of helplessness and desolation. The desert areas of Tharparkar have received plenty of rainfall which has destroyed the residents’ mud-houses as well as their crops, forcing them to migrate to unknown areas with their animals and without any assistance from the government.
In these difficult times the people have come out to help one another: a few NGO’s namely Al-Khidmat foundation, Chippa Welfare Association and Edhi Foundation have been working to rescue the citizens.
While many of the residents are struggling to save the lives of their family members and desperate for a place to seek shelter, people living in the posh areas actually seem to be enjoying the multicolored hues of the skies and a change in the weather. While many have nothing to eat, the other side of Karachi has been ordering food online from eateries whose workers put their lives in danger by commuting through the rainwater to earn something for themselves in these desperate times.
This highlights the disparity between the classes and the plight of the underprivileged- a scene from the movie ‘Parasite’ come to life, a stark and sobering contrast between the haves and have nots.
The monsoon rains this time have broken an 89-year-old record with an increase of 306 MM as compared to the monthly average for August. With more rainfall expected in the coming weeks, the city is likely to be hit by more flash floods which will further disrupt the lives of the people.
The city is now in a dilapidated condition and the question which arises here is that who is to be held responsible for all this destruction – the Government which has once again failed the citizens of Karachi or the management authorities who have failed to repair Karachi’s infrastructure and unclog the city drains in preparation for the monsoon?
The truth is, no one is willing to take responsibility for Karachi’s welfare. In the face of such calamity, all anyone is able to do is watch Karachi sink deeper and deeper still.