RIYADH: Saudi Arabia has launched a fund-raising campaign to help flood victims in Pakistan.
Around 1,400 people have died in deluges caused by record monsoon rains and melting glaciers in Pakistan’s northern mountain regions.
Authorities estimate that 33 million people have been affected by flooding that has washed away homes and transport infrastructure, and destroyed livestock and crops, and say 6.4 million need immediate assistance.
In a tweet, the Saudi aid fund, the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center, said donations could be made to the appeal through its #Sahem platform.
Launching the campaign, adviser at the Royal Court and general supervisor of KSrelief, Abdullah Al-Rabeeah, said: “Pakistan is going through the worst natural disaster of decades, where floodwater has covered one-third of the Pakistani lands and affected more than 33 million people, claimed the lives of over 1,300 people and injured at least 13,000 others.
“In addition to destroying more than 550,000 houses completely, 1 million houses were partially destroyed, and roads, bridges, and shops were affected.
“Based on the generous directive of King Salman and a close follow-up from Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, KSrelief launched the Saudi popular fund-raising to collect donations through the center’s platform Sahem to help affected brothers in Pakistan, stressing that these generous directives reflect the role of the Kingdom in helping the needy and affected people across the world and are part of the brotherly relations between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan,” he added.
Al-Rabeeah noted that people could also give via the Sahem smart phone app, and several Saudi banks, with all donations going in full to beneficiaries without administration costs.
In a statement on Tuesday, the Council of Senior Scholars also urged Saudis to support the campaign.
Donations can be made at https://sahem.ksrelief.org, via text on 5565, and by sending money transfers directly to the center’s bank accounts at Banque Saudi Fransi (SA5655000000099088000563), Al Bilad Bank (SA8315000999126644880015), Alinma Bank (SA5705000068222222207001), Arab Bank (SA4630400108095307050033), and Riyad Bank (SA 5120000002283448399942).
