Pakistan

Marvi Memon’s “letter to PM” regarding Attabad disaster

  1. Ayeenabad and the surrounding villages need to be evacuated since the water level rising will impact them within few days. Alternatively their populations need to be given some directions/assistance. They require daily commodities like fuel and food which they are cut off from. For this the China route needs to be opened immediately. Government needs to accelerate this opening immediately to relieve the masses. Heli lifts will not be sufficient.
  2. The affected victims of Attabad Salamanabad and Shishkot need to be given just compensation, alternative accommodation beyond being put up at temporary school lodging. They are not satisfied with the money being disbursed, the speed of it being disbursed and the assistance being given to the injured.
  3. Business community of Sust has suffered massive setback and are stranded. They need to be assisted financially and routes need to be opened immediately. Heli lifts will not be sufficient.
  4. The river whether through breach or blast needs to be opened fast so that populations of Sumayar, Ashkondas, Jutal, Faizabad and Nilat are not adversely affected.

Read more at source.

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16 Comments

  1. Thank you Marvi sahiba for feeling the pains of the affected people of Ata Abad slide.

  2. Today i visited the side my observations the river will cover the road and even one cant cross the debris by foot the chinese engineers are working for zero sum game once the water level cover the whole area it will further damage the nearby villages on the indus river.
    We pray the administration take quick action to release the water

  3. its really a great contribution from your side, We are thankful to you for your personal/collective efforts to highlight the issues related to Gilgit Baltistan, I would appreciate you kindly put these suggestions with Govt. authorities . Please remember that
    1. People of Hunza espacilly upper part (Gojal) need continueous Food supplies to local traders through Govt. Depo system. no aid required in this regard as people have the capacity to buy their food stuff from the stores.
    2. A long term Plan to mitigate such demages in future required at policy making level.
    3. INGO’s be allowed to contribute for the social development of the affecties, as there are news that Govt./FOCUS authorities have rejected offers of different institutions/individual.
    further more the issue need attention of the authorities.
    Good Luck for your work

  4. according to one of my frends from the affecred village. the people of the village had demanded alternate arrangement before such tragedy occures. Local administration did not lend any ear to the demands. the people also had protest against govt’s non serious attitude towards a lingering tragedy. people also had bycooted the elections but on non local governer GB s promises of doing alternate arrangements they particiapted in the polls.

    i think this is not just a natural tragedy . i say its genocide or mass murder of the people of Atta Abad village.

    We should file FIR against the Wazir Baig,Mehdi Shah,qaira including the karta dharta of the local administration and OFCOURSE BUREUCRATES LIKE HOME SECRETARY

  5. I really appreciate Marvi for the personal concern she has for the people of Gilgit-Baltistan. This is exceptional and I really thank her for going extra miles in the best interest of the people of the area specially in these days of great sorrow and suffering. God Bless you!

    Sultan
    Canada

  6. Marvi on her part has done something vital for the area people. She could also have forgotten this area as the elections are past now but she didn’t and came forward to help the people in trouble. Our mainstream political parties should follow her example and remember the area people at this difficult time. The political parties and figures should not be just the birds of the election season and should come forward whenever situation like the present one causes loss of lives and properties. Through their participation in the sorrows and joys of the people the political parties can achieve credibility.
    Marvi, part from her present contribution, has also been a strong voice for the rights of Gilgit-Baltistan and she has raised this issue along with other development related issues on several forums, which should be appreciated.
    However, these endeavours have of Marvi have been her individual contribution. Her party has been no different than other political parties in ignoring this northern region.

  7. Thanks for the very very long pland of Marvi SAAHEEBA, very sensible GURU to enter in the hearts of Huzoo Khuts, appriciate her effort———————————–

    please, fill in the blanks———–

  8. The people were facing the severe situation after 2005 and Memon’s party was in Governmebt. We demand punishment for high-ups of PML Q with the puppet Chief Executive Ghazanfar. What they did for the people. In their time the people were even not having access to Goveernmnet officials as everything was dealt and contlolled from the so called Royal Palace.

  9. Miss Memon is the true leader who has not forgotten her election promises and visited the calamity stricken area to show solidarity and console the people. Her action is highly appreciated and the people will remember it for a long time. she has always been raising voice for the cause of the oppressed people of G-B in the national Assembly. I humbly salute to your leadership Miss Memon. This is what leadership is called and politics is about. Thank you.

  10. MArvi Ji,

    thank you for your concerns and always projecting the cause of the people of GB. We appreciate that.

    However, you are well aware that the situation started deteriorating in 2002 and the local communities, civil society groups and media projected it during this period when you and Musharaf were running the show in Pakistan including the GB government was of PML-Q.

    It is the responsibility of the state and the government to act and save life, honour and property of the citizens, even if they are your colonial subjects under international laws.

    1. why your government failed to conduct an official geotechnical assessment of the landslide?

    2. Why were the people not provided alternate land by your government to resettle somewhere else despite protests and requests by the community and reporting by civil society, private groups and media?

    3. Why your government failed to act and act fast then?

    Now that we are in this situation, we appreciate your highlighting this grave situation. Please note that while the chinese are widening KKH it will be a burden on the Pak treasury if the situation is allowed to deteriorate. Secondly, KKH is strategically vital for pakistan, the sooner it is opened the better for the vital interests of pakistan.

    The army, WAPDA, NHA and CRBC China need to act in coordination and act fast.

    25,000 souls in upper Hunza-Gojal should NOT starve coz WAPDA may see an opportunity for a dam in this. This could be an opportunity, but the all weather access to China and lives and livelihoods of 25,000 souls must also get preference.

    Amin Beg

  11. Marvi Memon is one of the earliest political figures who visited the disaster-hit Attabad, and for that reason alone she deserves our gratitude. Although there are so many unanswered questions, as also pointed out by Amin Beg sahip, but I think she has consistently demonstrated her commitment for our causes during the last three or four years.

    Where was Governor Kaira, CM Mehdi Shah, or for that matter anyone from MQM or PML-N, when the people of Attabad were burying their dead? Governor Kaira came on a helicopter to distribute government sponsored cash, food, and other handouts and went away making false promises, which i reckon will be broken anyway, as is the PPP tradition under the leadership of people like Zardari. Rather than making empty promises he should have announced firm proposals for the resettlement of those whose properties, homes, and orchards have simply vanished and they remain completely devastated.

    While the lukewarm and non-serious attitude of government, bureaucracy and even the mainstream media of Pakistan demonstrate their corrupt practices but it also shows how much do they really care for an oppressed people like us. Amid this brazen indifference of the Pakistani establishment Marvi memon has registered herself as a friend of Gilgit-Baltistan, and in my opinion, we should honor her for that.

  12. I am grateful to MNA Marvi Memon for visiting the disaster site to demonstrate that you care for the peole of G-B- That is how a leader fixs his/her time.The CM of G-B has yet to vist the site- very bad show from his part.

    The loss of lives due to disaster is painful.

    The recovery phase should have more humen/community friendly approach. Putting efffected people in schools at the first stage was may be vitl but there are other better options. Affecties could be put in local houses which are abendend in Altit village. So that they may feel better and could feel part of the community and could recover from shocks. This will also minimize potential social problems.

    People living in upstream of the river/lake are in shock and fear because they are the next potential victms.

    The water has alraedy reached the first village in Gojal(upper Hunza)and the village volunteers have already started shifting their belonging to other locations and trees are being chopped to save physical assests. The next potentially affcetd villages are Shiskat and Gulmit.

    Down stream villages which rightly Ms Memon has identified have a potentail disaster threat, if the lake brusts.

    Heli soties are not long term solutions. The need is to get international experts who have the expertise to respond to such natural disasters.

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