The international organizations and financial institutions Thursdayannounced immediate assistance of more than 500 million dollars for theflood victims on the appeal of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
The PM chaired an important meeting with the international donors here forproviding relief to the flood victims.
The representatives of the World Bank, Asian Development Bank,international financial institutions, development partners, and donorsattended the meeting.
The officials of China, the United States and the European Union, agenciesof the United Nations and the World Health Organization also took part inthe meeting.
The Prime Minister briefed the international partners about the devastationcaused by floods in the country, particularly in Sindh and Balochistan.
He said the country faced an emergency situation because of the historicrains and floods and a large number of people including women and childrenlost their lives.
He told that houses, infrastructure, crops and orchards were destroyed,roads and bridges were washed away and land routes were cut off which madeit difficult to carry out rescue and relief activities.
The relief activities were expanded with the help of the Pakistan army andhelicopters, he informed.
The devastation caused by floods was more grave than what happened in 2010,he said adding the affectees needed food, medicines, tents, and temporaryshelters.
He said the federal government undertook relief activities in coordinationwith the provinces and the federal and provincial departments were workingtogether.
The government released Rs five billion for relief and family of everydeceased was given the financial assistance of Rs one million.
Country Director for Pakistan, South Asia Region Najy Benhassine informedthe PM about the immediate assistance of $ 350 million from the World Bank.He appreciated the flood relief cash programme of the Prime Minister.
The World Bank would provide the financial assistance by the end of thecurrent week. The World Bank would also cooperate with Pakistan through acomprehensive plan for the restoration of the infrastructure after anassessment of the losses.
The World Food Programme- the agency of the United Nations – also announced
$ 110 million for the flood affectees. The Asian Development Bank pledgedto give $ 20 million assistance while the UK Aid would give 1.5 millionpounds.
While the UK Aid also announced another 38 million pounds for the mid termand long term projects for the restoration of the flood affectees.
The Prime Minister said each flood victim family was immediately given Rs25,000 and Rs 80 billion were allocated for this purpose.
He said the extent of the destruction of floods was so huge that thefederal and provincial governments could not complete the rehabilitation ofthe flood affectees on their own.
He urged international organizations, financial institutions and countriesto cooperate with the Pakistan government on an emergency basis, adding alarge area of Sindh and Balochistan was already declared disaster hit.
Shehbaz said, “I am personally overseeing the rescue, relief, andrehabilitation activities from day one.”
The government had set up a Prime Minister Relief Fund 2022 to speed up theefforts for assistance and restoration of the flood affectees, he saidadding the assistance of the international financial institutions andorganizations was crucial in the rehabilitation of the affectees.
He said the army, government institutions, public service departments,doctors, nurses and volunteers were working with passion in a difficultsituation.
He lauded all those who were helping out the flood affectees and said hewas grieved at the difficult conditions faced by the people stranded infloods.
“We want to reach out to every affected Pakistani and we want help of theinternational partners. We need essential items and medical staff toovercome the difficult situation.”
He invited international partners to visit the flood-affected areas. Thegovernment would make arrangements for the visit of the internationalpartners.