Pakistan is once again under water. The recent floods have devastated communities, displaced hundreds of thousands, and left entire districts submerged. Families have lost their homes, farmers have seen their crops swept away, and livelihoods have vanished overnight. With roads destroyed and villages cut off, the images emerging from the affected areas are haunting reminders of how vulnerable we remain in the face of nature’s fury. Amid this tragedy, one cannot deny that the Punjab government has been visible in relief efforts. Rescue operations have been launched, medical camps set up, food and tents distributed, and officials have shown up on the ground. In a country where government presence is often missing in crisis, this is worth acknowledging. But beyond this response lies an uncomfortable truth: where is everyone else?
It is shocking that none of our celebrities, who demand hundreds of millions of rupees for a single appearance, have stepped forward. Our cricketers, icons celebrated across Pakistan, who earn not only millions of rupees but also millions of dollars in international leagues, remain silent. Their social media, usually buzzing with endorsements and snapshots of luxury, has found no space for the suffering of their own people. Their fame and fortune come from this country, yet when the soil cries and its people drown, its stars look the other way.
It is not enough to donate funds quietly. Pakistan’s industries and institutions must rise with tangible action.
Equally disappointing is the corporate sector. Pakistan’s big companies, with annual profits running into billions, have failed to show meaningful support. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), which elsewhere is an obligation, here exists only as a line in glossy reports or token gestures. The excuse often offered is that “we pay our taxes.” But in a country where tax evasion is rampant, even this claim falls flat. Even if it were true, taxes do not absolve anyone of the moral duty to give back to the society that sustains them.
Agriculturists, too, have remained largely absent. This is disturbing because their very existence depends on the land now ravaged. While small farmers have lost everything, those with vast holdings and influence have not mobilized their resources to provide grain, storage, fodder, or any kind of aid. In times of disaster, their silence feels like an abandonment of the very soil that feeds them.
When did we become so insensitive as a nation? Charity and community giving were once woven into our values. Our faith teaches us that a portion of wealth belongs to the poor. Our culture long prized generosity. Yet today, filling our own pockets seems the only focus. No private hospital has offered free medical camps for the displaced. No educational institution has opened facilities to flood-hit families. Banks that boast record profits have not announced relief funds or loan moratoriums. Textile giants, who export billions on the back of cheap local labor, have not protected the very workers who built their wealth. And real estate empires, which earn billions from selling land in this country, bear a special responsibility. Not only have many failed to step forward to rebuild, but they are also among the main reasons why houses were destroyed in the first place. By constructing massive housing societies on natural water channels, ignoring environmental realities, and showing reckless disregard for planning, they blocked the natural flow of water. Their mismanagement and greed turned floods into wrecking balls, washing away entire communities and leaving families without the roofs over their heads.
It is not enough to donate funds quietly. Pakistan’s industries and institutions must rise with tangible action. Textile mills should announce free clothes/tents/bedding for families who have lost everything. Private hospitals must provide free medical supplies and treatment for the injured and displaced. Educational institutions must open their doors to children whose schools have been washed away. Real estate giants should pledge to rebuild homes for those left with nothing and finance drainage restoration where their schemes obstructed natural waterways. And agriculturists, with their vast resources and access to food supplies, must ensure no one in the flood-hit regions goes hungry.
Yes, the state is the primary guardian in times of disaster. But what about those who built their empires on this land? Wealth and respect come with responsibility. The silence of our elite, our celebrities, cricketers, corporate titans, agriculturists, and industrial barons is not just disappointing, it is a betrayal of the very people whose love and labor gave them their status.
The floods have exposed more than weak infrastructure; they have exposed a moral collapse. The true measure of a nation is not how loudly it celebrates its heroes in good times, but how its privileged stand with the vulnerable in times of crisis.
The writer is a former State Minister for Education and Professional Training, former Member of the National Assembly of Pakistan, Chairperson of the Prime Minister’s Youth Programme and Director at Media Times.