The city of Bhong is 20 minutes away from Rahimyar Khan. We were a few hundred feet above the land and the noise from the helicopter engines was very loud. Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif looked out and with great sorrow and a deep sigh said, “Look at the devastation. It’s simply mindboggling. How many years will you need to rehabilitate these fields, farm houses, villages and houses?”
He was here the very next day after the flood came. “By then the town of Bhong was under water, people had taken refuge on trees, mounds and roofs of houses. Land links, power supply and telephones were suspended; even the famous Bhong Mosque was inundated.” He and his team started the supply of food, clothes, water and tents to people by helicopters and boats. “I haven’t seen destruction on such a large scale in my life… these are the most horrifying days I have ever had. If I had to go to Lahore for an official engagement that could not be avoided, I would but then I would return to southern Punjab for relief work within half an hour.”
Shabaz Sharif said that he personally supplied food to people, crossing the Indus and Chenab rivers dozens of times. “Without this, I would not have grasped the situation properly.”
After an aerial tour of Bhong, we landed in Sadiqabad. The local administration had set up a ‘fake camp’, situated near the helipad to ensure that the chief minister’s visit was ‘successful’. But when he declared that he wanted to go to another camp, there was chaos in the administration.
We proceeded to the second camp. As we arrived there, people encircled the chief minister and started raising slogans in his favour. In the beginning this all looked artificial and it seemed as if a kind of a live play was being staged by the administration. But after a close look and individual meetings with people I realised that people were speaking their hearts and baring their souls to the chief minister. People were being provided food, clothing articles, tents and medicines at the camp. I saw a mechanical tandoor with a capacity to produce a thousand loaves of bread an hour.
The camps are alright and well-managed; however, I saw a lack of cleanliness there. Flies and dust were everywhere. The health secretary is present in the area and is working day and night. But these flies are out of control and could give rise to a serious epidemic. The chief minister and the health secretary should look in to this matter and prevent this from happening.
We returned throwing food packets on our way in Mehmood Kot. I did not see any protocol or any DC or DPO anywhere. “Why?” I asked and the chief minister replied with a smile: “I have told my administration in southern Punjab to work in their respective areas, and that if any officer came to receive me leaving his work, he should consider his service terminated.”
Published in The Express Tribune, August 22nd, 2010.
AOA
i really appreciate your efforts in following the latest regarding the floods and by the same token i appreciate shahbaaz sharif’s presence and efforts in the flood-struck areas.
it is, sometimes, that i see all politicians with the same eye but when someone like mian saab stands out it is really a matter to commemorate about.
i hope those in authority power and with wealth do the like of what is expected of a muslim towards their brothers and sisters in need.
JAZAKALLAH KHAIRUN TO ALL THOSE WHO ARE SINCERE IN THEIR EFFORTS FOR THE SAKE OF ALLAH (SWT).
Great! Great!!! really great!! such people will lead the PAKISTAN to peak.
Sir, u r a very great person n all the points u mention r really great. i knw u r a neutral person so agar aap CM ko appreciate kr ray hain to woh wakai may tareef kay kabil hon gay. ALLAH hamaray sb politican ko CM kay rastay p chalnay ki toufeeq ata farmaye (AMEEN)
ye in ke duty thee jo khadam-e-ala nay de koi karnama nahe……………. bakeon ko b duty pori karna chaheye…………..
in typical politicions ka is tra ka kaam hum logon ko show off lgta he …agr wo without protocol gia he ….ye koi karnama nai hona chaye ,,,but ajkal k politions jo kr ry hn un k hisaab se yeh karnama hi he …… is critical situation mn show off hi kr dn lekin krn zrrooor ……………
the thing which is right is always appreciated……. A.C rooms may beth k yeh likhna buhat easy hai keh duty ya show off hai,, but practically ja k situation ko face krna our un logo kay darmayaan kharay hona jin say aap log hath milana bi pasand nai karay gay,, apnay aap may aik buhat bari baat hai…… agar koi acha kam krta hai to uski tareef karain ya khud ko is kabil banaye keh usko criticise karna acha lagay……….
janab vote laynay b ye AC say bahar atay hain in he logon main kharay ho k jalsa kartay hain vote mangtay hain k main ye kar don ga main wo kar don ga ab agar boooooooohhhhhhhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaatttttttttttttt zarorat parnay pay bagair protocol k apni duuuuuuuuuuuttttttttttttttttyyyyyyyyyyyyyy day he rahay hain to wakae koi bari bat nahe ye in ka farzzzzz hai jo sirif abhe tak ak admi mean khademay ala nay dayna start keya hai bakeon ko b duty pay ana chaheye itni onchi kursi pay baithay hain itni tagri tankhwa laytay hain ab kam ka time aye to karna to chaheye na………………criticise nahe janab just ye bataya hai k its not karnama its duty of khademay ala sahab…………..jo wo pori kar rahay hain achi bat hai baki b pori karain…..
Weldone Mian Shahbaz…….May you keep this after getting the Federal Govt. Allah Zardari and company say Najat dalaay……
Shehbaz proves that he is a good administrator…
Great!
“A friend in need is a friend indeed”
apnay atraaf ka har shaks chour lagtaa hay.because cricket daikhtay hain tu lagtaa hay jab inhain haarna hoota hay tu inhain cricket khailna hi nahi aati.journalist bhi awam ko udhar ka nazaraa karaatay hay jidhar daiknay may awam ka koi faidaa nahi hoota. jo sab say baraa dakait hota hay siyastdaan unhay police officer banatay hain. mujhay aaj tak yeh baat samjh nahi aai kay journalist ayub khan ziaulhaq aur parvaiz musarraf kay waqt ko door ko aamriyat ka door kiyon kaihtay hain haalan kay nawaz sharif banzir aur zardari ka door awam kay liyay aamriyat ka door rahaa hay.ayub khan ziaulhaq parvaiz mussrraf ka door tu awam kay liyay khush haali ka door raha hay. maazrat kay saath may galat bhi ho saktaa hoon