SUKKUR: More than 100 flood-hit people belonging to Qubo Saeed Khan, Miro Khan and Shahdadkot towns reached Garhi Khuda Bakhsh Bhutto, hometown of late Benazir Bhutto, last evening after covering a distance of more than 70km on foot, an official said yesterday.
Soon after their arrival, participants embarked on a token hunger strike in tents they had erected outside the mausoleum of Benazir Bhutto with a dual purpose — in protest and for not having food with them nor money to procure some.
Later, they appealed to the chief justice of Pakistan to take notice of protests and threatened self-immolation if the government continued ignoring their predicament.
Hypothetically, it was a long march undertaken to draw the attention of the authorities toward their plight of six months when floods washed away their homes, crops, cattle and whatever they possessed.
The march started on Thursday from Shahdadkot and protesters reached Arzi Bhutto town after travelling over 25km. There they were warmly welcomed by the residents who had made arrangements for their overnight stay, said Sher Khan Chandio of Khabbar Union Council.
Participants resumed their pursuit the following morning and reached the mausoleum of Benazir Bhutto on Friday evening after walking for another 45km, he said. Flood-hit marchers, including Sher Chandio, Ahmed Ali Selro and Din Mohammed Buriro, blasted the district government of Qambar-Shahdadkot for neglecting them.
They berated the district government officials of keeping their eyes and ears closed despite regular protests of flood-affected people for supply of ration, inclusion of their names in Watan Card scheme, provision of free seed and fertiliser and reconstruction of roads.
Frequent meetings with district coordination officer could bore no fruits and NGOs were too busy in doling out relief goods among the affected people of their choice, they alleged.
People, especially in Khabbar, Aitbar Khan Chandio, Qubo Saeed Khan, Hazarwah, Bagodaro, Seelra and Jamali Union Councils, were still waiting for financial assistance, food and agricultural support for their survival but to no avail, they emphasised.
“After finding no way to gain attention of the authorities and elected representatives we thought of proceeding on a long march up to the burial chamber of Benazir Bhutto in Garhi Khuda Bakhsh,” they contended.
The protesters reminded the district government of restoration of battered irrigation system, issuance of Watan Cards to left out survivors and release of second instalment of Rs80,000 under Watan Card scheme and provision of seed and fertiliser to flood-hit farmers. Internews
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