Pakistan PM Shahbaz appeals for help, establishes relief fund for flood victims
- 26 Aug 2022
Gulf Today Report
Pakistan Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif announced on Friday establishing a relief fund for the assistance of flood-affected people, appealing to the citizens, overseas Pakistanis, especially the philanthropists, to generously donate to it.
The cash assistance for the flood victims can be deposited in the Prime Minister's Relief Fund 2022 Account No. 'G-12164.'
Meanwhile, the Embassy of Pakistan in the UAE also requested the expats to send donations to the Prime Minister’s Flood Relief Fund 2022.
Earlier, Shahbaz asked for international help battling deadly flood damage in the impoverished South Asian nation.
Shahbaz said he met foreign diplomats in the capital, on damages caused by the floods. "The ongoing rain spell has caused devastation across the country," he tweeted, thanking other countries and groups for their support. "Together we will build back better.”
Shahbaz has reiterated his request for support during a meeting select Islamabad-based ambassadors, high commissioners and other senior members of the diplomatic corps, to brief them on flood situation.
As Pakistan faces its worst destruction, devastation, humanitarian crisis and catastrophe due to flash floods and torrential rains; global financial institutions and donors have responded to Shahbaz's appeal for aid to help flood victims, announcing assistance of more than $500 million.
This comes at a times when floods, cloudbursts and torrential rains have triggered flash floods which have wrecked through major parts of the country encapsulating over 70 per cent of the country under flood water and disrupting road, train and telecommunication systems, millions of acres of standing crops, roads, bridges and disconnecting land routes causing major hindrances in relief operations across the country.
The flooding from rains, melting glaciers and cloudbursts affected over 3 million people.
Floods have damaged 170,000 homes, washed away roads and destroyed nearly 150 bridges, according to the National Disaster Management Authority.
Although floodwater receded in some areas, the situation worsened in Sindh province, where rescue workers were using boats to evacuate marooned people. Thousands of flood-affected people were living in makeshift homes and tents. The crisis forced Shahbaz's government to declare a state of emergency.
The flood damages in the country are estimated to be more than Rs900 billion. The country witnessed ‘more rain than ever recorded’ this season as the delay in wheat sowing, cotton and rice crops have been severely damaged.
According to the research of JS Brokerage, the floods that have occurred across the country this season have caused severe damage to life, crops and infrastructure. According to the report, the damages caused by the flood cannot be accurately estimated, but the damages will be more than Rs900 billion, which are more than the flood of 2010-11.
