New Delhi: Pakistanis are rallying for Baloch singer Wahab Ali Bugti who lost his house and possessions in the floods that have overwhelmed the nation over the past few weeks. Bugti, along with other Baloch singers like Kaifi Khalil and Eva B, rose to prominence with the release of their song Kana Yaari, featuring in the second episode of the latest season of Coke Studio.
In a heartwarming gesture after a Twitter user highlighted how Bhugti had been living under the open sky, Pakistani netizens sprung to action to provide rehabilitation for the singer and his family. They soon collected funds and brought Bhugti’s tragedy to the notice of other organisations.
Wahab Bhugti who got famous after singing “Kana yari” at coke studio has been living in dire conditions due to the floods in Balochistan. His mud house was destroyed and his family has been living without a home. pic.twitter.com/u7LoQHmVrT
— Nishat (@Nishat64) August 21, 2022
While the Shehbaz Sharif government and NGOs have been raising funds to help flood-affected victims, Pakistani netizens are playing their part too. Various crowdfunding campaigns across Twitter have helped singers like Bugti get shelter over their heads.
Balochistan Flood Relief, an organisation for flood-affected victims, also stepped in, and Bugti was soon evacuated to the city of Dera Murad Jamali.
The singer then thanked the people for the timely relief. And he’s not the only singer that netizens are reaching out to.
Also read: Livestock on life support: Where Pakistan floods hit the hardest
Fund-raising the new fashion
Women’s Democratic Front, an independent socialist-feminist organisation based in Pakistan, has been actively raising funds for all the flood-affected victims across Pakistan.
On Twitter, the organisation highlighted the need to raise funds for Cholistani pluralistic folk singer Aado Bhagat and the marginalised Hindu community living in the Basti Faqeer Bhagat Chak area.
We are raising funds for supporting Cholistan’s pluralistic folk musician of Kabir Panti tradition, Aadu Ram Bhagat. They have suffered immense damage to their home, livestock and all belongings. The crops have been washed away, and thousands of animals in the village have died pic.twitter.com/CHTWc4lBai
— Women Democratic Front ناری جمھوری محاذ (@wdf_pk) September 5, 2022
Bhagat is a pluralistic folk singer of the Kabir Panth tradition in Pakistan. In the WDF’s tweet, they mentioned how the singer lost his livestock and suffered immense damage.
“They have suffered immense damage to their home, livestock, and all belongings. The crops have been washed away, and thousands of animals in the village have died, ”
According to the WDF, the singer’s hometown, Rahim Yar Khan in the Punjab province, did not receive adequate resources in the recent relief campaigns and was most affected by the floods, The Dawn reported.
“They’ve lost what little material they built through a lifetime of hard work. We are working to support the artist through the crisis,” the fund added, speaking about the singer’s plight.
The WDF is among the many such organisations working to raise funds for the flood-affected victims. Others include the Edhi Foundation’s flood relief campaign and the Balochistan Youth Action Committee.
(Edited by Humra Laeeq)