Elections vs Climate: Balochistan’s Battle on Two Fronts

Tahira Khan

Loralai: Noreen Fatima is a 15-year-old girl living in Sohbatpur, Balochistan. Last year, her family was displaced because of the floods that wreaked havoc in the province.

“It was gruesome to see our home flooded, and because of that, my father shifted us to Quetta. There, we rented a house and came back after six months. Unfortunately, it is not the first time that floods have displaced our whole family. It happened three years ago as well,” Young Fatima recalls.

Regarding the impact of this upheaval on her education, she explained, “I could not study because of these continued disruptions. My whole family is vulnerable to the frequent patterns of migration. My parents focus is survival and to provide me and other siblings bread and butter.” “I have a passion for learning, but I am unable to be admitted to the nearby school, which was also devastated by floods. However, I have been attending the women’s centre, where I learn how to stitch clothes and weave winter stuff.”

Noreen Fatima is also one of many people who are victims of climate change. Unfortunately, the government and its implementation mechanisms have proven inept. The policies and plans remain unimplemented, and there is no follow-through. This is particularly the case in Sohbatpur, which is considered to be the most neglected area of the province.

Similarly, Saira Bibi of Sohbatpur also recounts her ordeal following the devastating 2022 floods.

Her parents could not afford to rent a house in Quetta. In tears, she shared how her siblings spent nights on the roads in a mosquito-laden environment. The political leaders were not to be seen or heard. We were given tents and basic food items by NGOs and INGOs.

2022 experienced torrential monsoon rainfall, breaking a 30-year record of average rainfall for the last country and causing significant damage to human life, livestock, and infrastructure. Overall, the pre-monsoon and monsoon rainfalls affected 32 out of 34 districts in the province. According to the Balochistan Flood Recovery Plan 2022, it caused $1.625 billion worth of damage. The enabling costs of rehabilitation would be far greater. The report further confirmed Sohbatpur among the top 12 affected districts, along with Jhal Magsi, Lasbella, Nushki, Naseerabad, Jaffarabad, Pur Kharan, Killa Saifullah, Killa Abdullah, Queta, Kacchi, and Khuzdar.

The issues that have been frequently brought to light by the changes in the climate over the past few decades are not on the radar of mainstream political parties. It is also the case this time around.

Not a single political party has climate change on its agenda despite the debilitating impact of disasters due to turbulence in the climate, which has devastating impacts on people, the economy, and infrastructure.

In KP and Punjab, flooding has frequently caused huge devastation. One would expect this to be a major focus for the political parties vying for power and change.

But, sadly, this is not the case. When it comes to Balochistan, particularly Sohbatpur, political parties have negligible existence, and the areas are run through either independent candidates or electables.It is important to note that even if a party gains hold in any area of the province, there is less chance that it could survive its popularity until the next general elections.

Following that, for the upcoming general elections, Noreen Fatima and Saira Bibi belong to the NA-255 constituency, Sohbatpur-Jaffarabad-cum. –UstaMuhammad-cum Naseerabad, where independent candidates have filed papers for the national assembly, whereas the strong presence of any political parties could not be seen.

Political parties such as National Party (NP), Balochistan National Party (BNP), Awami National Party (ANP), Jamait Ulema IslamFazl (JUI-F), and PML-N.

Tahira Khan is a freelance journalist from Loralai, Balochistan. She can be accessed at tahiraadamkhan@gmail.com

All information and facts provided are the sole responsibility of the writer.