ISLAMABAD: The King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) has announced the construction of 1,000 houses for families displaced by the 2022 floods in Pakistan’s northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and eastern Punjab provinces, aiming to “rebuild communities and foster resilience” across the South Asian nation, a statement said on Wednesday.
The Saudi charity organization, with one of the largest humanitarian budgets available to any aid agency worldwide, has undertaken a wide variety of projects in more than 80 countries.
Pakistan is the fifth largest beneficiary of its aid and humanitarian activities and has received significant assistance, particularly following the 2022 monsoon floods, during which unusually heavy rains triggered flash floods, killing over 1,700 people and causing economic losses of around $30 billion.
The agreement for construction was finalized between Pakistan’s National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and KSrelief earlier in October when officials from both sides signed the Cooperation Programs. Of the 1,000 houses, 590 will be built in KP’s Dera Ismail Khan and 410 in Punjab’s Rajanpur and Dera Ghazi Khan.
“KSrelief has announced a major initiative to build 1,000 permanent houses for families in KP and Punjab who were displaced by the devastating 2022 floods,” the charity organization said in a statement. “This project is part of a broader series of public facilitation initiatives announced by KSrelief.”
All the houses will include two rooms, a kitchen and a washroom, with the aim of providing “safe and permanent” housing for around 7,000 people in the flood-hit regions of KP and Punjab.
The statement emphasized that KSrelief’s initiative will support the “recovery process” while enhancing the long-term well-being of affected communities.
Earlier this year in July, heavy monsoon rains triggered floods and landslides in KP and Punjab, resulting in nearly 250 deaths.
Pakistan is recognized as one of the world’s most vulnerable countries to the effects of climate change. This year, the country recorded its “wettest April since 1961,” with 59.3 millimeters of rainfall, while some regions faced a deadly heat wave in May and June.
KSrelief to construct 1,000 houses for flood-hit families of Pakistan
https://arab.news/6wgzm
KSrelief to construct 1,000 houses for flood-hit families of Pakistan
- 590 homes will be built in northwest KP while 410 in eastern Punjab provinces
- 2022 floods killed over 1,700 people and caused a loss of around $30 billion
Pakistan PM invites UAE investment across tech and resource sectors at National Day event
- Shehbaz Sharif says the UAE remains a key economic partner and continues to lend ‘critical support’ to Pakistan
- UAE envoy says both nations have potential for cooperation in renewable energy, AI and economic diversification
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is ready to welcome investment from the United Arab Emirates across emerging technologies and resource sectors, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Monday, as both countries marked the 54th National Day of the Gulf country in Islamabad.
Speaking at the ceremony attended by senior ministers, diplomats and business leaders, Sharif said the UAE remained a key economic partner for Pakistan and continued to lend “critical support” to the country’s stabilizing economy.
“Pakistan takes great pride in its strategic partnership with the UAE, which continues to deepen across every domain of life,” he said. “With Pakistan’s economy stabilizing, we stand ready to welcome Emirati investment in renewable energy, AI, fintech, agriculture and minerals.”
Sharif praised the UAE’s leadership and recalled his earliest memories of the Gulf nation as “a land that believed in possibilities long before they became realities,” saying the country’s progress under President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan commanded “profound admiration.”
UAE Ambassador Salem Al Bawab Al Zaabi said the Emirates was committed to strengthening ties with Pakistan in areas including the economy, energy and artificial intelligence.
He said the two countries shared a “deep-rooted friendship built on mutual respect, shared values and a common vision for regional peace and development.”
“We see tremendous potential for collaboration in renewable energy, artificial intelligence, sustainability and economic diversification,” the ambassador said, adding that the UAE aimed to broaden the scope of its economic relations with Pakistan.
The UAE hosts around 1.8 million Pakistani expatriates, one of the country’s largest overseas communities, who Sharif said contributed “tirelessly” to the Gulf state’s development.
Sharif and Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar also joined the UAE ambassador in a cake-cutting ceremony to mark the occasion.
