ICC Note:
Across Pakistan, flood waters are rising as the annual monsoon rain pour down on the dry ground. As these flood waters rise, not all of Pakistan’s citizens are treated equally. Christians and other religious minorities are often served last, if at all, by government aid programs set up to assist victims of the flooding. Without aid from their own government, many of these Christians are completely economically ruined by the annual floods. Please pray for these suffering Christians.
9/9/2014 Pakistan (The Express Tribune) – Standing flood water in streets and houses, collapsed walls and roofs, scattered furniture and distressed faces welcome a visitor to Rawalpindi’s Sharoon Colony.
Located on the bank of Soan River, the locality, with around 700 houses mostly inhabited by Christians, has been badly-affected by the recent rains.
Residents say there is 3-5 feet of standing water in their houses and there has been no power for two days. Most were busy draining flood water out of their living rooms.
Almost 10 houses have been washed away by the flood and another 300-400 have been damaged. There has been no casualty due to the rains and floods in the colony.
Eight families said they were preparing for marriage ceremonies of their daughters and the flood has swept away their dowries.
People, who are without food and clean drinking water, complained that the city district government is not doing enough for their rehabilitation. They said political workers who visited them have only criticized the government and did not do anything for the victims. They, however, said that Bahria Town had provided them medical care.
Aerak, a resident, said rainwater had completely destroyed his house and estimated his loss at Rs300,000.
David, another resident, estimated his loss between Rs2 to Rs3 million. His home has been washed away and the furniture, he said, was lying in a nearby pond.
Diglus Rehmat, who is a taxi driver and a father of four, said his taxi was swept away by the water. “It was the only source of income I had.”
Pervaiz Gill said almost every household had suffered loses of at least Rs200,000. He said most residents live from hand to mouth and the rains have completely destroyed them, economically.
The victims demanded financial assistance from the government and philanthropists.
Sajid Nawaz, a local, said the government has distributed food among the residents. He said the authorities should help in rehabilitation of the colony.
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