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18 Sep, 2022

The recent floods have caused a whole lot of damage but only those who have visited the sites can begin to understand how deep it really goes. Anoushey Ashraf travelled to Balochistan with RJ Dino Ali and musician Natasha Baig to help out flood affectees and was saddened by the overall situation and neglect. She penned a passionate note, expressing her disappointment and blamed everyone who is okay with the state the country is in at the moment.

On Saturday, she shared a video compilation of her visit and talked about sights that made her heart sink. “Even though the floods have ravaged much of Pakistan, visiting the villages in Balochistan was of particular interest and high on the list of priorities for me. The province has been neglected as it is for way toooooo long. We don’t know much about what it’s really like,” she wrote. “As expected, we were saddened to see broken roads, inundated lands, washed away bridges, etc but more than anything else, I was saddened to see the countless children affected by the negligence of their adults. Collectively, we’ve given them next to nothing for their future. Not even slippers to wear. Today, I just don’t blame the government but I blame myself, I blame you and every Pakistani who’s okay with this.”

She talked about ignorance on the citizens’ part and how they justify the wrongs in society instead of taking action. “Us, the people who’ve learned how to live with crisis everywhere around us like it doesn’t exist. Unchecked population growth, poverty, sickness and bad healthcare is where our focus should be… Yet people turn a blind eye to this and find reasons to explain ‘why this is the way it is’…”

She prodded her followers with questions, claiming that the general public is in deep slumber. “If you can’t help fix it, why run to them for votes? When does your integrity and moral compass come into play? When does an ounce of humanity awaken in you? In me? Indeed we’re the way we are for we are in a deep, deep slumber. While God periodically sends us calamities one after the other for we may wake up. But alas.”

She quoted a poem by Lawrence Tribble that highlighted the power of one person who awakens and influences another and then a lot more with the domino effect. “Thank you Dino Ali Natasha Baig and Hassan Ali Effendi for being the best coworkers. We kept each other afloat. Thaila Sherwani zindabad!!” she concluded.

In the video, Ashraf attached photos and clips that documented their journey of distributing over 2500 ration packs in a village in Wadh. “Back broken but heart mended, a bit,” she wrote. She explained that they had gone there with a company that was distributing relief items and had security provided by the FC Balochistan. She added that though she doesn’t encourage protocol, it helped them deliver the items to the right place without trouble.

The time to act is now. Here is a list of organisations doing their best to provide relief to those impacted by the calamity. Help and do your part.

Comments

M. Emad Sep 18, 2022 03:44pm
$100+ billion ---- 2022 Pakistan flood-induced damage.
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Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad Sep 18, 2022 03:47pm
United we stand, divided we fall.
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Fatima Sep 18, 2022 04:02pm
There is no will to invest in population control or social infrastructure. Non development expenditure is more our priority.
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TPA Sep 18, 2022 04:27pm
Who cares about her?
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John Sep 18, 2022 05:01pm
Anoushey is right - we should do more to protect our country, and especially our parents
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XIngXing Sep 18, 2022 05:06pm
Publicity stunt, drama. That's all
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Multani Sep 18, 2022 06:01pm
World economic powers and even our brother Saudi and UAE have virtually turned a blind eye to our suffering, even Indians have given lip service only.
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Texas Ranger Sep 18, 2022 06:10pm
Anoushey and Dino, a match forever
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Ahsan Gul Sep 18, 2022 06:11pm
Who is she? What is her contribution towards our country and society?
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Ibrahim S Sep 18, 2022 06:18pm
Does it include IKN ?
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Ibrahim S Sep 18, 2022 06:20pm
Every citizen should unite to help Pakistan. I hope IKN keeps his mouth shut and stop bad mouthing and calling names until next election .
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Desi Sep 18, 2022 07:19pm
Blame game is of no use. But you did a great job by going yourself and distributing much needed help to the needed. Hats off to you. The problem is not that people are not willing to donate and help, but a mechanism to bring and distribute the items to the needy. Government cannot be trusted at all, so NGOs have taken over the responsibility, but they don’t have the established framework to go everywhere. It’s a shame that we don’t trust the government and don’t do anything to topple it.
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TR Sep 18, 2022 07:20pm
Thank you Anoushey !!!
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Zameera Rihai Sep 18, 2022 10:35pm
@Ahsan Gul dont be so harsh she is just expressing her feelings btw whats your contribution? Everyone is the part of this damage. At least she is not on foreign tour like bilawal and SS. Funeral of Late Elizabeth was that important than flood victims? People dying of hunger is slap on the face of whole nation
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S. Nasheed Ahmed Sep 19, 2022 12:28am
Dear Anoushey, I told the people 15 years ago that Democracy doesn't work. It will destroy us all. But somehow, no one would listen. And perhaps, they still don't understand.
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Rami Sep 19, 2022 12:28am
100% imported gov’t of 40 yrs in powers mix of 14 parties and neutral are to blame ! All the loans and development funds goes to personal accounts ! Revolution any one ?
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S. Nasheed Ahmed Sep 19, 2022 12:31am
President Ayub launched a Population Control Program in the 1960s. But Democracy destroyed it in the 1970s. Then came Fundamentalism in the 1980s, which made it even more difficult.
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Rehana Bounse Sep 19, 2022 04:07am
@TPA You don’t get it do you? She’s talking about the destruction caused by floods by government neglect & by being too comfortable in your own small world. She’s talking about lack of empathy & concern for people who have lost everything; their homes , their belongings & their source of income.
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Rehana Bounse Sep 19, 2022 04:09am
@XIngXing really !!! So flood is fantasy & only make belief . Is that it? Which world are you living in?
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Asif Sep 19, 2022 05:51am
Writing “tweets” from the comfort of your home is easy. These privileged people know how to remain in the news and exploit these situations.
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As expected Sep 19, 2022 08:51am
This was bound to happen. these people can keep voting for the same PPP and this is what they will keep getting every few yrs. I dont blame anyone but those people themselves.
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Shah Sep 19, 2022 01:27pm
Good work. Helping those in need at this difficult time rather than talking is noble. The flood damage must be attributed to the so-called sardars, pirs, politicians and government officers who plundered the development funds over decades. Payback time is here!
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