The Indus refuses to stop roaring. The Federal Flood Commission’s daily reports continue to predict its exceptionally high flood level with the cusecs of water showing critical readings at the various barrages along the river water once so scarce, now so ferocious.

Advice of vigilance and safety guidelines form the flood commission’s daily bulletins but no warning or precautionary measure means much as the water continues to ravage every land and human obstacle in its path.

The deluge seems to have no beginning or end. Call it the unleashing of God’s wrath or the Devil’s rotten humour, it has rendered all within its orbit impotent. As the wreckage increases, the ineptitude of the government becomes embarrassingly more obvious, particularly to the international community, which has little love lost for Pakistan. The aid initially pledged was said to be ‘sluggish’ at its best. It wasn’t until Ban Ki-moon came in himself for an appraisal and appealed that the international community dig deep to cover our losses. But even that is predicted to be insufficient for the devastation that is unfolding.

Haiti’s track record for corruption was pretty high as well, but how come the entire West emptied pots and pots into its coffers within a few days of destruction? In fact just the two telethons across North America raised nearly 30 million dollars within a few hours. Well, nobody hated Haiti! With Pakistan it is obvious that there is neither respect nor much regard.

Details of the damages reported so far probably don’t even cover the half of it. But what is crystal clear is that we are technically, professionally and even morally incapable of looking after ourselves. If it weren’t for the humanitarian efforts of certain individuals, overseas Pakistanis and humanitarian agencies already working in Pakistan, the death toll would have been much higher.

Even now, stories are coming in of stranded groups in remote pockets of the devastated regions who are waiting for help to reach. It is widely being discussed that the absence of an early warning system and a systematic disaster management plan have led to extensive damage. Experts say that if those were in place, the devastation would have been contained as the water moved southward.

In many areas some natives are said to have exacerbated the extent of the damage and the flood’s torrent. When some landowning feudal lords allegedly broke dams near their fields to save their own areas, they sent the water gushing even more wildly towards areas not previously in its path.

Not enough can be said about the politics, bad management and corrupt nature of the individuals who are supposed to be managing the country, its various constituencies and looking after its people. But all that is now water under the bridge – literally and metaphorically.

With 1,600 people already dead and eight million people needing rehabilitation right away (with both figures rising daily) we are currently totally dependent on outside forces to come to our rescue.

Also, as was feared, militant groups are now trying to win the hearts and minds of people by giving succour where the government has failed or in areas that are inaccessible. And at the end of the day we will always remain a divided country, with others besides the Fifth columnists following their own interests.

International media websites are asking many controversial questions regarding Pakistan after the flood. “Who cares about Pakistan?” is one.

Critics from around the world have remarked pretty negatively, arguing why should the western world help a nation that is so divided and when its people show such hatred against the West. One person commented on the BBC page, “If they can afford to be a nuclear country and boast about it, then they should be able to look after their own people.”

Another writes in the same section, “It is very interesting to see how much fellow Muslim countries are giving in aid, if anything at all. The megarich Arab oil states have given very little, apart from Saudi Arabia which has donated $40 million or so; which is not a lot considering how wealthy they are.”

And then there is the inevitable barb put in by another critic; “Any country that sends its top politician on a jolly around Europe and insists on wasting money on nuclear weapons in my opinion has money enough to look after its own.”

It is a sad time to be hearing such spiteful remarks when we need everyone’s sympathy and help. But there are many home truths contained herein. Who will care about Pakistan if we ourselves portray the image of a bickering, disjointed people?

A historian in the making made an insightful comment to me the other day. He said that natural disasters are usually precursors of drastic political changes and reforms. It takes a catastrophic action to integrate or disintegrate societies. Which is it to be for Pakistan?

maheenrashdi@yahoo.ca