The Stream

Public outcry after children die in Pakistan’s desert

Demand for action as more people suffer from malnutrition in the country’s southern region of Sindh.

A woman affected by famine waits for the food aid at her village in Mitthi, Sindh province, Pakistan, 10 March 2014. (EPA/REHAN KHAN)

As the death toll continues to rise in Pakistan’s southern desert region, online many are criticising the government’s efforts to combat famine. Tharparkar, an area experiencing drought, has left more than 60 children dead and thousands more to suffer from malnutrition. 

Officials have called for an investigation and on Monday, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif traveled to the region to give $10 million in emergency aid. However, many Pakistanis are not satisfied with this response, arguing the conditions are a direct result of government negligence and that they could have been prevented.