More than rainfall may have contributed to the devastating floods in Pakistan this past summer. Illegal breaches of embankments, canals and dykes along the Indus River contributed to the destruction of Sindh and Jaffarbad, specifically the district of Balochistan. Pakistan Muslim League – Quaid leader, Marvi Memon filed a petition on the consequences caused by the floods saying floodwater was diverted to protect land belonging to certain government officials. She named 13 respondents involved with the breeches like: federal government through Secretary of Cabinet, National Disaster Management Authority, Federal Ministries of Water and Defense, Federal Food Relief Commissioner and Sindh Flood Relief Commissioner, among others. The Defense Ministry was specifically named as a result of floodwater being diverted to Balochistan from Jacobabad to save the Shahbaz airbase which also could not be utilized for relief operations because it was being used by the US forces. Trials are set for November.
“Pakistan’s media piling on president,” David Nakamura, The Washington Post, http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/10/21/AR2010102106159.html, 10/22/10
“Powerful landlords breached Tori dyke, Marvi informs SC,” SAMAA News, http://www.samaa.tv/News27061-Powerful_landlords_breached_Tori_dyke_Marvi_informs_SC.aspx, 10/25/10
“SC Demands Written Responses,” The Express Tribune, http://tribune.com.pk/story/67683/sc-demands-written-responses/, 10/26/10
“SC Takes Up Dykes Breaches, NAB Chief’s Appointment Cases Tomorrow,” The Nation, http://www.nation.com.pk/pakistan-news-newspaper-daily-english-online/Islamabad/24-Oct-2010/SC-takes-up-dykes-breaches-NAB-chiefs-appointment-cases-tomorrow, 10/24/10
“SHC Issues Notice Over Breach in Tori Bund,” The Express Tribune, http://tribune.com.pk/story/57374/shc-issues-notice-over-breach-in-tori-bund/, 10/2/10
“75% of Breaches in Tori Bund Repaired,” The Express Tribune, http://tribune.com.pk/story/47857/75-of-breaches-in-tori-bund-repaired/, 9/8/10
Student investigators: Cara Douglas, Sarah Schmidt, and Katie Whitney
Faculty evaluator: Ross LaBaugh, librarian, CSU Fresno