ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal on Saturday urged the international community, Pakistani expatriates and the country’s citizens to help it rehabilitate flood victims, as the South Asian country reels from the damaged caused to it by flash floods.
Heavy monsoon rains in Pakistan have triggered raging floods that have killed 1,260 people, displaced hundreds of thousands and affected over 33 million people—15 percent of the country’s population—according to official data.
Cash-strapped Pakistan, already reeling from skyrocketing inflation and a weak economy, is struggling to contain heavy damages caused by the floods, with experts warning of a looming food crisis ahead.
Iqbal made the appeal to the international community after an inaugural briefing of the National Flood Response Coordination Centre (NFRCC) on the ongoing rescue and relief efforts. He expressed the resolve to fight the devastating floods as a united nation while urging people to contribute to the effort.
“Climate change has hit Pakistan hard, and we appeal to the international community to side with Pakistan in this difficult time,” the minister said. “These floods have taught us a lesson to learn from our mistakes.”
“The scale of the devastation is massive and it requires an immense humanitarian response,” he added.
The United Nations has appealed for $160 million in aid to help tackle what it said is an “unprecedented climate catastrophe.”
The minister said even developed countries were helpless when natural disasters strike. However, he said the Pakistani nation is united and were ready to face the challenges of climate change.
“The government and institutions can deal with the situation only with help of the nation,” he said, urging people to stand behind state institutions in their efforts to rehabilitate flood affectees.
Iqbal said more than a million homes have been destroyed in the floods while14 main highways have been damaged as well. He said more than 3,500 telecommunication towers were affected and 69 power grid stations, out of the 81 damaged in the floods, have been restored.
Speaking on the occasion, Director-General Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), Major General Babar Iftikhar assured the nation that the armed forces would stand by the people during these challenging times and have mobilized all available resources for rescue and relief efforts.
“The armed forces have provided tents and medicines to flood-affected people in large numbers,” he said, appreciating rescue and relief efforts being carried out by the country’s navy, air force and army.
The Pakistan military’s spokesperson said army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa had visited flood-hit areas to make a detailed assessment of the losses.
“All formations and senior commanders of the army are present in flood-affected areas and engaged in relief operations,” he added.
