- Home
- Pakistan
- PM, UN Secy-General make joint call for 'massive global support' for Pakistan's flood disaster
PM, UN Secy-General Make Joint Call For 'massive Global Support' For Pakistan's Flood Disaster
Fahad Shabbir (@FahadShabbir) Published September 09, 2022 | 03:40 PM
ISLAMABAD, Sep 9 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 9th Sep, 2022 ) :Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday urged the international community to extend massive support to Pakistan as the country battled immense floods.
The UN Secretary-General flanked by PM Shehbaz Sharif at a joint presser held here at the National Flood Response and Coordination Centre (NFRCC), said the world needed to amplify its assistance to Pakistan in the wake of the natural disaster.
PM Sharif and Secretary-General Guterres visited the NFRCC where they were given a briefing about the situation of floods across the country.
The UN Secretary-General besides urging support for flood relief assistance also emphasized debt support for Pakistan to help the country overcome numerous challenges including economic stability.
Guterres, who had earlier launched a global appeal to raise $160 million for the flood-affected people of Pakistan, said joint efforts were required to help the country overcome the consequences of climate change.
Pakistan, he said, despite its little contribution to climate change was bearing the negative effects of the phenomenon of natural disasters.
He said it was absolutely essential for other countries, particularly those contributing to carbon emissions, to mobilize resources for Pakistan following the devastating monsoon.
"Today, it is Pakistan and tomorrow it could be any other country. Mobilizing resources for Pakistan is a matter of justice," he said.
The Secretary-General said Pakistan was witnessing an "unprecedented natural disaster" and lauded the government, army, and NGOs for working together in a "remarkable way".
Guterres said he would continue to raise his voice for the Pakistani government and people who were grappling with difficult situations amid floods.
"Pakistan is in my heart as I have worked with this country for 17 years while the nation extended enormous generosity to Afghan refugees for decades," he said.
PM Sharif expressed gratitude to the UN Secretary-General for his "extremely kind and generous gesture" of visiting Pakistan to get first-hand information and express solidarity with the people.
"We are very grateful for the solidarity demonstrated by you as 33 million people suffer dire conditions in the wake of heavy floods," he told the Secretary-General, who arrived in Islamabad early this morning.
The prime minister said the civil government along with armed forces was carrying out massive rescue, relief and rehabilitation activities in the flood-affected areas.
He said Pakistan was facing the brunt of natural disasters and a similar situation could be faced by the rest of the world in future.
Sharif emphasized that after the rescue operations, Pakistan needed enormous funding for rehabilitation and reconstruction of damaged infrastructure.
The government, he stressed, was doing its best despite meagre resources and assured the Secretary-General that the dispensation of flood assistance would be made in a transparent manner.
Chairman NFRCC Dr Ahsan Iqbal in his briefing mentioned that the 2010's super floods affected 20 million people, however, the current flash floods impacted 33 million across the country.
He said hill torrents proved a challenge amid a lack of efficient infrastructure to deal with the disaster and resulted in heavy loss of lives, infrastructure, livestock and crops.
He said Pakistan was expecting around three percent reduction in Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the backdrop of a combination of challenges including floods, IMF programme and the economic situation in the aftermath of Russian-Ukraine war.
Coordinator NFRCC Maj Gen Zafar Iqbal in his briefing said one-third of Pakistan was inundated in water covering a land area equal to the size of the United Kingdom, Portugal, New Zealand and Ecuador.
He said floods led to the loss of over $30 billion including the damage to 750,000 livestock.
In Sindh, he said, the national railway track remained underwater and the train service from Islamabad to Karachi could not be operated at the moment. It was highlighted that Manchar Lake burst at three places, affecting the railway line.
In Balochistan, he said, four districts were still under water.
The NFRCC official said the coordinated efforts among civil government, military and NGOs including the UN aid bodies were in full swing, adding that the assessment survey on relief operations in the provinces would start by Monday.
Related Topics
Recent Stories
3 Gawadar attack victims funeral offered
Mbappe says he will leave PSG at end of season
Usmani felicitates Sardar Saleem on taking oath as Punjab Governor
DC for provision of facilities to people in Lasbela
Solar storm could bring auroras, power and telecoms disruptions
Court grants interim bail to PTI leaders
Ulema, Mashaykh call for political accountability, collaboration for Pakistan's ..
SHRC asks NADRA to issue CNICs to transgender as per law
Flash floods kill 50 in one day in north Afghanistan
CDA chief expresses commitment to promoting modern-day technologies
By wide margin, UN General Assembly votes to back Palestinian bid for membership ..
Musadik slams PTI's political approach as provocative
More Stories From Pakistan
-
3 Gawadar attack victims funeral offered
23 minutes ago -
Usmani felicitates Sardar Saleem on taking oath as Punjab Governor
23 minutes ago -
DC for provision of facilities to people in Lasbela
42 minutes ago -
Court grants interim bail to PTI leaders
49 minutes ago -
Ulema, Mashaykh call for political accountability, collaboration for Pakistan's stability
49 minutes ago -
SHRC asks NADRA to issue CNICs to transgender as per law
49 minutes ago
-
CDA chief expresses commitment to promoting modern-day technologies
41 minutes ago -
Musadik slams PTI's political approach as provocative
41 minutes ago -
Saudi Arabia to test flying taxis, drones this Hajj season: Minister
41 minutes ago -
Governor for making comprehensive policy to protect universities from financial crisis
41 minutes ago -
Ethiopian envoy calls on Sindh Governor Kamran Khan Tessori
41 minutes ago -
District administration directed for strict compliance of CM’s ‘Good Governance’ program
41 minutes ago