ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said on Wednesday he was satisfied by the international response to all the devastation caused by the monsoon season, as the national death toll from recent rains and floods reached 1,191 and the government took diplomats from over 20 countries to areas affected by the climate disaster.
The unprecedented rains, floods and landslides have also caused significant infrastructure damage across Pakistan where 33 million people have suffered since the beginning of the monsoon season in June.
According to senior government functionaries, the country has almost completed rescue and relief work, though they have warned the rehabilitation efforts would take more effort.
The United Nations and Pakistan also issued a flash appeal on Tuesday for $160 million to help the South Asian state deal with catastrophic floods that have displaced a large number of people and destroyed livelihoods.
“Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has expressed satisfaction over international response to the UN Flash appeal to help flood affected people,” reported Radio Pakistan.
The foreign minister made the statement while taking diplomats from more than 20 countries and representatives of international organizations to flood-hit regions of Sindh, Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces to give them first-hand knowledge of all the devastation caused by monsoon rains and floods.

“At the Sukkur airport, an NDMA [National Disaster Management Authority] briefing was given to diplomats and representatives of international organizations regarding the flood induced disaster,” the foreign office of Pakistan said in a statement, adding that Bhutto-Zardari informed them about the immense scale of the tragedy.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also visited the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on Wednesday and announced a grant of Rs10 billion for flood-affected people.
Meanwhile, the Pakistani military announced to postpone a defense day ceremony, which was scheduled to be held at the army’s general headquarters (GHQ), in view of the tragic situation in the country.
“In solidarity with the flood affected people of Pakistan, central ceremony at GHQ to commemorate Defense & Martyrs Day on 6 September has been postponed,” the military’s media wing, ISPR, said in a Twitter post. “Pakistan Armed Forces shall continue serving our brothers and sisters struck by unprecedented floods.”

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) also approved a $3 million grant on Wednesday to support Pakistan’s emergency relief efforts amid widespread floods across the country.
The bank said in an official statement the grant would help fund the immediate purchase of food supplies, tents, and other relief goods to support flood victims across the country.
“ADB stands with the people of Pakistan during these difficult times,” said its director general for Central and West Asia Yevgeniy Zhukov. “We are committed to working with the government and other development partners to help Pakistan overcome the devastating impact of this natural disaster and provide immediate relief to affected families.”