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#FloodsInPakistan2022 - Why are Pakistan’s floods so extreme this year?

Smriti Mallapaty

One-third of the country is underwater, following an intense heatwave and a long monsoon that has dumped a record amount of rain. With rivers breaking their banks, flash flooding and glacial lakes bursting, Pakistan is experiencing its worst floods this century. At least one-third of the country is underwater. Scientists say several factors have contributed to the extreme event, which has displaced some 33 million people and killed more than 1,200.

Researchers say the catastrophe probably started with phenomenal heatwaves. In April and May, temperatures reached above 40 °C for prolonged periods in many places. On one sweltering day in May, the city of Jacobabad topped 51 °C. “These were not normal heatwaves — they were the worst in the world. We had the hottest place on Earth in Pakistan,” says Malik Amin Aslam, the country’s former minister for climate change, who is based in Islamabad. Warmer air can hold more moisture. So meteorologists warned earlier this year that the extreme temperatures would probably result in “above normal” levels of rain during the country’s monsoon season, from July to September, says Zia Hashmi, a water-resources engineer at the Global Change Impact Studies Centre in Islamabad, speaking in his personal capacity.

Glacial melt

The intense heat also melted glaciers in the northern mountainous regions, increasing the amount of water flowing into tributaries that eventually make their way into the Indus river, says Athar Hussain, a climate scientist at COMSATS University Islamabad. The Indus is Pakistan’s largest river, and runs the length of the country from north to south, feeding towns, cities and large swathes of agricultural land along the way. It isn’t clear exactly how much excess glacial melt has flowed into rivers this year, but Hashmi visited some high-altitude glaciated regions in July and noticed high flows and muddy water in the Hunza River, which feeds into the Indus. He says the mud suggests that there has been rapid melting, because fast water picks up sediment as it moves downstream. Several glacial lakes have burst through the dams of ice that normally restrain them, releasing a dangerous rush of water.The heatwaves also coincided with another extraordinary event — a depression, or a system of intense low air pressure, in the Arabian Sea, which brought heavy rain to Pakistan’s coastal provinces as early as June. “We rarely have large-scale depression systems arriving there,” says Hussain.These unusual features were then exacerbated by the early arrival of the monsoon on 30 June, which “was wetter generally over a larger region for a very prolonged period of time”, says Andrew King, a climate scientist at the University of Melbourne, Australia.

The effect is that Pakistan has received almost twice its average annual rainfall. The southern provinces of Sindh and Baluchistan have received more than five times that average. “The flooding is all over,” says Hashmi.

Once on land, much of that water has nowhere to go. More than 1.2 million houses, 5,000 kilometres of road and 240 bridges have been destroyed. In Sindh, an elongated lake has formed, tens of kilometres wide, and more water will continue to pour into it, says Aslam. “The worst is not over.”

Other factors

Some weather agencies have also predicted that the ongoing La Niña climate event — a phenomenon that is typically associated with stronger monsoon conditions in India and Pakistan — will continue until the end of the year, says King. “It’s not a super strong link, but it probably is playing a role in enhancing the rainfall.” Human-induced global warming could also be intensifying downpours. Climate models suggest that a warmer world will contribute to more frequent and more intense rainfall, says Hussain. Between 1952 and 2009, temperatures in Pakistan rose by 0.3 °C per decade — higher than the global average.

Researchers and public officials also say that other factors have probably added to the devastation, including an ineffective early-warning system for floods, poor disaster management, political instability and unregulated urban development. A lack of drainage and storage infrastructure, as well as the large number of people living in flood zones, are also implicated. “These are governance issues, but they are minuscule in relation to the level of the tragedy that we are seeing occur,” says Aslam.

https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-022-02813-6

Bilawal mocks Imran for holding ‘concerts’ amid flood devastation

Foreign minister advises former PM to become a good human being first and politician later.

Lashing out at Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan, Minister for Foreign Affairs Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Friday said that Pakistan was facing the biggest disaster in its history but the former prime minister was busy holding "concerts" in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab.

“Pakistan is facing the biggest disaster in our history. 1/3 of our country [is] underwater! 1/7 citizens [are] affected, 35 million ppl! [While] Ex-PM is holding concerts in KP & Punjab," he wrote on his official Twitter handle.

He said that the chief ministers of both provinces – Punjab and K-P – were busy organising PTI’s ‘musical event’ instead of helping flood victims. "Shameful, pehaly insan bano, phir siyasatdan bano! (become a good human first and then a politician)," he advised the former prime minister.

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#FloodsInPakistan2022 #FloodsInPakistan - Fleeing responsibility

 Adnan Aamir

@iAdnanAamir

The scale of devastation in Balochistan is such that the rehabilitation is said to be beyond the governments’ capacity.

Murad Ali, a 36-year-old father of five, lives in Lakhra tehsil of Lasbela district. The homes of Ali and many of his relatives have been destroyed by flood water. “Fifty houses in my neighbourhood have been damaged,” he says. To top it off, he has fallen ill on account of shortages of safe drinking water and food. He says there are no functional medical health facilities or doctors in the area. Tens of thousands of people in Balochistan have been hit by the natural calamity. Elderly people tell this scribe that they have never seen rainfall like this in Balochistan. The rain has resulted in flash floods in many areas. Lack of disaster preparedness, poor governance and corruption have aggravated the devastation. According to the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), the floods have resulted in 230 deaths; another 98 people being wounded in accidents caused by the rains and floods. Almost 27,000 houses have been damaged, 710 kilometres of roads have been rendered useless; 18 bridges have collapsed. Moreover, half a million livestock have perished and crops on more than 200,000 acres have been destroyed. Almost all districts of Balochistan have been affected. The last time Balochistan experienced massive floods was in 2010. But the damage suffered then pales in comparison with the damage caused by the floods this year.

Lasbela, Balochistan’s coastal district located near Karachi, has been badly hit by the floods. Roads passing through Lasbela, most prominently the Quetta-Karachi Highway, has been blocked for many. Former chief minister Jam Kamal, one of the MPAs from Lasbela, has decried the government inaction. He has been using social media to highlight the lack of relief work in Lasbela, allegedly to settle political scores.

The provincial government has been severely criticised for its failure to act timely to help the populace. Chief Minister Abdul Quddus Bizenjo has been criticised for his long stay in Islamabad considering the province is in a state of crisis. The PDMA has also been castigated for its failure to help those in need. By way of a response, the PDMA has banned the entry of a local journalist in its office. The journalist had criticised the performance of the PDMA in a TV interview.Rains during the early monsoon spells last month had caused flash floods in several areas and destroyed dozens of water storage dams. It soon came out that the damage was caused by poor construction quality. This was seen as an indicator of corruption in the award of construction contracts and regenerated the debate on the need to take strict measures to curb corruption in the public sector.The parliamentary opposition in Balochistan is also nowhere to be seen in this time of crisis. The BAP government has been ruling the province without a stiff opposition. It is alleged that the BNP-Mengal and the JUI are informally supporting it.

The floods had started wreaking havoc in Balochistan at the beginning of August. However, most of the disaster escaped the media’s attention. Eventually, the scale of devastation was revealed on social media. This then compelled the administration to take this calamity seriously. Government institutions, federal as well as provincial, were quite slow in starting rescue and relief activities.

One instance of social media working for the people in distress was the Kana Yaari singer of Coke Studio fame, Wahab Bugti. Bugti’s home was washed away by floods in his native Dera Bugti town. He was seen on social media holding his children next to the collapsed walls and flood water. The report on social media generated sympathy and calls to help him and others like him. The family was then moved to Dera Murad Jamali. He is now being taken care of, thanks to his fame and social media support. Thousands of people similarly affected by the rains and floods have not been that lucky and still await help.Voluntary groups and civil society organisations have tried to help the people in need. Almost 13,000 affected people have received some form of aid from such bodies. Social workers in many parts of Balochistan are using social media to collect donations, which they are using to help people in their areas. The informal support mechanism has been way more effective in helping people than some well-established government bodies.

Qaisar Roonjha heads the Welfare Association for New Generation (WANG), a civil society organisation that has been helping the flood affected in rural areas of Lasbela. He tells The News on Sunday that his team of volunteers has been providing relief on the ground. “Along with providing relief, we have been paving the way for other relief organisations to continue their work in the area,” Roonjha says.

Calls for international humanitarian bodies to help out have increased following complaints of the government failure. Under pressure, the government has agreed to host a donor conference. Given the scale of devastation, many people believe that the rehabilitation of the affected people is beyond the capacity of the provincial and federal governments.

https://www.thenews.com.pk/tns/detail/985707-fleeing-responsibility

In Pakistan, Waterborne Diseases Surge as Floods Recede

By Munir Ahmed

In addition to those traumatized by the flooding, doctors are now treating people suffering from diarrhea, skin infections, and other waterborne ailments.

Officials in Pakistan raised concern Wednesday over the spread of waterborne diseases among thousands of flood victims as waters from powerful monsoon rains began to recede in many parts of the country.

Massive flooding from the rains since mid-June has killed at least 1,162 people, a phenomenon experts blame on climate change.Some doctors said initially they were seeing mostly patients traumatized by the flooding, but are now treating people suffering from diarrhea, skin infections, and other waterborne ailments in the country’s flood-hit areas.

The development has forced the government to deploy additional medical teams and dispatch medicine besides providing clean drinking water to survivors, many of whom are living in tents and makeshift homes.

The warning came a day after record-breaking floods prompted the United Nations to formally issue an appeal for $160 million in emergency funding to the impoverished Islamic nation, where about a million homes have been damaged or destroyed.Dr. Azra Fazal Pechuho, health minister in the country’s worst-affected province of Sindh, said officials have set up 4,210 medical camps in the province’s flood-hit areas to treat victims now suffering from skin and waterborne diseases, which are common during floods.The World Health Organization began aiding Pakistani authorities in their efforts to treat people injured in the rains and flooding. The agency said in a statement that it was working to increase surveillance for acute diarrhea, cholera and other communicable diseases to avoid spreading further, and is also providing medicine and medical supplies to health facilities.

“WHO is working with health authorities to respond quickly and effectively on the ground,” said Dr. Palitha Mahipala, the WHO representative in Pakistan. “Our key priorities now are to ensure rapid access to essential health services to the flood-affected population, (to) strengthen and expand disease surveillance, outbreak prevention and control, and ensure robust health cluster coordination.”

Authorities said waterborne diseases among flood victims are now common across the country.

“Initially we received injured people, but now diarrhea is common,” said Farhad Khan, a physician in charge of a medical camp set up in the northwestern town of Charsadda. It is one of the worst flood-hit districts in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province bordering Afghanistan, where floods killed 257 people since mid-June.

Pakistani authorities backed by the military, rescuers, and volunteers, have struggled to evacuate marooned people to safer places. On Wednesday, military helicopters continued evacuating flood victims and delivering food to remote regions, according to a statement released by the military. It said it has deployed at least 6,500 troops to assist in rescue and relief operations.

Rescuers were also using boats to evacuate stranded people in southern Sindh province and in remote villages in eastern Punjab province, according to government officials. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in a visit to the flood-hit Swat Valley promised the rehabilitation of every person displaced by the flood. In his televised comments, Sharif thanked U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres for responding to Pakistan’s request and issuing an appeal for $160 million in emergency funding to help flood victims. Guterres on Tuesday urged the world: “Let’s stop sleepwalking toward the destruction of our planet by climate change.”

Sharif’s visit comes days after a raging Swat River destroyed the iconic New Honeymoon Hotel in the northwestern tourist resort of Kalam. There were no casualties as tourists and staff left the hotel following government evacuation instructions, and residents in Kalam said many streets there were still flooded.Pakistan says it has received aid from some countries and others were dispatching aid, too. According to initial government estimates, the devastation caused $10 billion in damage to the economy.

Kamran Bangash, a government spokesman in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, said with evacuations wrapping up, officials are now focused on providing food and clean drinking water to flood victims.

“We fear the outbreak of the waterborne disease in flood-hit areas,” he told The Associated Press. He said hundreds of people have contracted such illnesses in various parts of the province.“In recent weeks floodwater badly affected hundreds of thousands of people. We don’t want them to again suffer; this time due to non-availability of clean water and it can be avoided,” Bangash said.

Although the rains stopped three days ago, large swaths of the country remain under water, and the main rivers, the Indus and the Swat are still swollen. The National Disaster Management Authority has warned emergency services to be on maximum alert, saying flood waters over the next 24 hours could cause further damage.

https://thediplomat.com/2022/08/in-pakistan-waterborne-diseases-surge-as-floods-recede/

‘Climate disaster of biblical proportions’: Pakistan Foreign minister warns flood damage will exceed $10 billion

Emma Graham

Pakistan’s foreign minister made an urgent call for international aid, with the death toll from historic flooding across the country expected to rise in the coming days.Already reeling from an economic crisis, flood waters have submerged over one third of the country in water, killing over 1,000 and impacting 33 million people.Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, the country’s foreign minister, told CNBC’s Dan Murphy Thursday that he fears the damages from the natural disaster will exceed current estimates of $10 billion, adding that the crisis in the country is still ongoing and in the “rescue and relief phase.”

The flooding, which Bhutto Zardari told CNBC is “a climate disaster of biblical proportions,” covers over 95,000 square miles of land. Bhutto Zardari said the crisis is far from over, as “southern areas of Pakistan are still bracing themselves for the flooding to come through the rivers from the north.”

“Pakistan at this point in time, are paying in their lives and in their livelihoods for a climate disaster that is not of their making,” he said. Pakistan’s contribution to global carbon emissions is less than 1%, but it’s among the 10 most affected countries in the world by climate change.

The South Asian nation of over 220 million people reported a 27% inflation rate for August, according to government data, and was hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic. Its currency has tanked while net foreign reserves have dwindled to just $8 billion in August, according to the State Bank of Pakistan.

Political infighting has gripped the country since April, after the ousting of former Prime Minister Imran Khan, who has been charged under anti-terror laws by Pakistan’s police. Food Inflation Impact Rural areas in Pakistan have been hit the hardest by flooding, which will have a compounded impact on Pakistan’s farming industry, and ultimately the cost of food. Bhutto Zardari told CNBC “about 80 to 90%” of Pakistan’s crops have been damaged by the floods. The International Rescue Committee report that 4 million acres of crops have been destroyed with 800,000 livestock perishing. Prior to the disaster, food inflation in rural provinces was much higher compared to urban areas. For instance, the cost of onions in Pakistan’s urban areas increased by 89% from July 2021 to July 2022. In rural areas, that cost increase topped 100%. The International Monetary Fund on Monday approved the release of $1.1 billion to Pakistan in special drawing rights, a part of its bailout program which began in 2019.

The money was already part of a relief program to help Pakistan stabilize its economy. Pakistan has now launched a joint appeal with the United Nations for about $160 million, which Bhutto Zardari told CNBC “is obviously a very conservative estimate about the bare minimum requirements at this moment.”

Over a million homes have been destroyed, and Bhutto Zardari added that key infrastructure like bridges, road networks, and dams have been damaged. Pakistan going forward, he says, will need “large scale reconstruction, which will require a lot of work.”

https://www.cnbc.com/2022/09/02/pakistan-warns-flood-damage-will-exceed-10-billion.html

#Pakistan - Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari thanks Saudi Arabia for continued assistance for Pakistan flood victims

 

Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari had a telephone call with his Saudi counterpart Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud and briefed him on the magnitude of devastation caused by floods and torrential monsoon rains in Pakistan.

Bilawal Bhutto Zardari also thanked Saudi Arabia for its strong expression of solidarity and continued assistance to flood-affected people.

https://www.radio.gov.pk/02-09-2022/fm-bilawal-phones-saudi-counterpart-to-discuss-flood-situation

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سېنېټر مشتاق د علي وزیر د خلاصون غوښتنه وکړه

د جماعت اسلامي سېنېټر مشتاق احمد خان وايي، له جنوبي وزیرستانه د قامي اسمبلۍ غړی او د پښتون ژغورنې غورځنګ یو مخکښ علي وزیر ته دې انصاف ورکړل شي او ژر دې له جېله خلاص کړل شي

. دا خبره نوموړي د سېپټمبر پر لومړۍ نېټه وروسته له هغې مشال راډیو ته وکړه چې د اګست پر ۳۱مه یې د کراچۍ په سېنټرل جیل کې د علي وزیر سره ولیدل. پر علي وزیر د کراچۍ په بیلا بیلو سیمو کې جوړو غونډو ته د ریاست ضد ویناګانو تور دی چې نوموړی یې ردوي. هغه له تېرو ۱۸ میاشتو راهیسې بندي دی. سېنېټر مشتاق مشال راډیو ته وویل، علي وزیر بیګناه دی او مجرم نه دی، خو ورسره چلند د مجرمانو په شان کېږي او یوازې د خپلو خیالاتو او سیاسي رایې په بنیاد تر اوسه په جیل کې ساتل شوی دی.

هغه وايي:

"له بده مرغه دېره موده ووته خو علي وزیر ته پارلیمان، عدالتونو او سیاسي جماعتونو انصاف ور نه کړل شو. زه په پارلیمان کې وخت په وخت د علي وزیر لپاره د انصاف اواز اوچتوم چې دا ظلم دې بند کړل شي، هغه ته دې انصاف ورکړل شي او هغه دې ازاد کړل شي. زما اراده وه چې زه کله کراچۍ ته ولاړ شم نو د اظهار همدردۍ لپاره، یکجهتۍ لپاره به له هغه سره خامخا ګورمه." سېنېټر مشتاق زیاته کړه چې علی وزير د کراچۍ په سېنټرل جیل کې د عامو قیدیانو په شان ساتل شوی دی. د هغه په خبره علي وزیر پر خپلې خاورې د امن، د پاکستان د بشري حقونو، ولسي واکمنۍ او د ایین او قانون د بالادستۍ لپاره په خپله مبارزه ټینګ ولاړ دی.

علی وزیر هغه وخت د پېښور پولیسو ګرفتار کړ چې د ۲۰۲۰م کال د ډېسمبر پر ۱۶مه یې د ارمي پبلک سکول د پېښې په یاد کې په یوه دستوره کې یې وینا کوله. هغه مهال د پېښور پولیسو وویل چې د کراچۍ د پولیسو په وینا یې نوموړی نیولی چې وروسته یې سند صوبې ته واستولو او له هغې راهیسې هم په کراچۍ کې په جیل کی دی. په ټولو څلورو مقدمو کې پر علي وزیر د ریاست ضد ویناګانو او د خلکو پارولو تورونه دي چې پښتون ژغورنې غورځنګ او نوموړی یې ردوي. پي ټي اېم وايي، پر وزیر جوړې مقدمې سیاسي دي او دا چې ټولې هلې

ځلې یې د قانون او ایین په چوکاټ کې دي.

https://www.mashaalradio.com/a/32014272.html

د سیند های کورټ د ۲۰۱۸ز کال د شاه لطیف ټاون په مقدمه کې وزیر ته ضمانت ورکړی . د کراچۍ د ترهګرۍ ضد عدالت د اګست پر ۱۹مه د د ۲۰۱۹ز کال د سهراب ګوټ په قضیه کې د وزیر د ضمانت په اړه درخواست اورېدنه کې فیصله محفوظه کړه . د عدالت جج ویلي وو چې کاري موده یې سر ته رسېږي نو نوی جج به د کېس فیصله وکړي. سېنېټر مشتاق احمد خان وړاندې وویل، دا د تشویش خبره ده چې څلور میاشتې کېږي د علي وزیر د ضمانت درخواست اورېدنه تر اوسه نه ده پیل شوې. نوموړي تور پورې کړ چې دا ټولې تاخیري حربې دي او زیاته یې کړه د هغه کېس د سیاسي ګوندونو، پارلیمان، عدالتي نظام او په پاکستان کې د بشري حقونو د تنظیمونو لپاره یو چیلنج دی.

بل پلو، له شمالي وزيرستانه د قامي اسمبلۍ غړي او په اسمبلۍ کې د بشري حقونو د قایمه کمیټۍ غړي محسن داوړ د سېپټمبر پر لومړۍ نيټه مشال راډيو ته وويل چې د علي وزير قضيي د رياست د ټولو ادارو دوه مخيزه معيار په ډاګه کړ چې په هېواد کې قانون د ټولو لپاره يو شان نه دی. هغه وايي: "د علي وزير مقدمې دا نظام ښکاره کړ او د سياسي ګوندونو مصلحتونه يې هم راڅرګند کړل چې تر څومره حده پورې تاسو سره اختيار دی او تر څومره حده پورې تاسو ودرېدلی شئ، خپل واک اختيار څومره کارولې شئ. نو زما په فکر دا هر اړخيزه ناکامي ده. علي وزير دې سياسي حکومت ته ووټ ورکړی دی او اوس هم د حکومت برخه دی، وزيراعظم (شهباز شريف) ته یې رايه ورکړې وه خو د دی باوجود هغه (علي وزير) بندي دی. موږ په وار وار حکومت ته يادګيرنه کړې ده خو له هغې (حکومت) خوا تسلي بخش ځواب نه دې راغلې. موږ به په دې اړه پريکړه کوو او علي سره به هم مشوره کوو او د هغې په رڼا کې به ګام پورته کوو. " محسن داوړ زیاته کړه په دې وروستيو کې پخواني وزيراعظم عمران خان په ولسي جلسه کې ججانو ته ګواښونه کړي وو خو د دې باوجود ورته ضمانت ورکړل شو. پښتون ژغورنې غورځنګ د ۲۰۱۸م راهیسې په سیمه کې د بدامنۍ، هدفي وژنو، ماورا عدالت وژنو خلاف او د لادرکو کسانو موندلو تر څنګ سیمه له ماینونو نه د پاکولو غوښتنې لري چې لپاره یې وخت په وخت مظاهرې او جلسونه کړي دي. په پاکستان کې د بشري حقونو کارکوونکو، مدني فعالانو هم د علي وزیر د خوشې کولو لپاره په هڅو کې برخه اخیستې ده.

#FloodsInPakistan #floods - Bilawal says Sindh urgently needs Rs860bn for rehabilitation after heavy rain, flood

Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has informed diplomats of over 20 countries and representatives of donor agencies that Sindh urgently needs Rs860 billion to reconstruct collapsed houses, repair roads and revive agriculture destroyed by unrelenting heavy rains that pounded the province for several weeks.

“We have to rehabilitate people, give them jobs, reconstruct road network and strengthen economy,” said Bhutto-Zardari, adding that they would also need machinery to restore fertility of inundated farmland after the floodwaters receded. Bhutto-Zardari, who was received by Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah and Federal Minister for Water Resources Syed Khursheed Ahmed Shah at Sukkur airport on Wednesday, was speaking to the guests at a meeting he chaired at the airport to inform them about the scale of devastation caused by the torrential rains and flood in Sindh and other provinces. He said that the torrential rain and flood had affected almost entire country but it had rained more than usual in Sindh. At present, drainage system was not working due to high flood at Guddu and Sukkur barrages, he said.

He said: “This is the first flood which has inundated both riverian areas and the urban centres at the same time, rendering large populations homeless. The rain and flood had destroyed crops and caused loss of Rs33.5,441 million to growers in the province, he said. The National Disaster Manager Authority (NDMA) officers also briefed the delegation about the damage from the catastrophe.

The delegation comprised ambassadors and diplomats of Turkmenistan, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Azerbaijan, Germany, Canada, Spain, South Korea, China, European Union, France, Iran, Turkiye, Qatar and Japan, and representatives of United Nations Population Fund, USAID, United Nations Children’s Fund, International Organisation of Migration and others. After the meeting, all the guests took an aerial view of the inundated cities, towns, crops and canals.

This flood bigger than 2010, 2011 deluge, says Murad

At a separate meeting with the guests, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali and Sindh chief secretary Sohail Rajput briefed the visiting diplomats and donor agencies’ representatives in detail about the unprecedented monsoon rains. Shah said that the recent flood was graver catastrophe than the floods of 2010 and 2011 as this crisis had deepened with high flood in Indus at Guddu and Sukkur barrages which had inundated entire riverian area. The chief secretary told the meeting that 24 districts with 102 talukas and 5,727 dehs had been declared as calamity-hit areas. The chief minister said that funds for compensation for deaths, injuries, damage to houses and loss of livestock, damage to crops, waiver of interest on agricultural loan and rescheduling of loan repayment by deferring it for at least one year, grant of subsidy on agricultural machinery, fertilisers, pesticides and seeds to farmers of the flood-hit areas were required urgently.

He said that one million tents, three million mosquito nets, two million ration bags for two months, one million jerry cans and one million kitchen sets, 500,000 plastic mats and 500,000 woolen mattresses and tarpaulin were required for relief the rain-hit people in the camps.

In Karachi, roads, bridges, sewerage system would require Rs50 billion to repair or reconstruct, he said.

#Pakistan Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari receives call from Iranian counterpart amid #floods fury

Iranian FM Hossein Abdollahian assures to assist in the provision of relief, says Foreign Office.

Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Thursday received a telephone call from Foreign Minister of Iran Dr Hossein Amir Abdollahian, a statement from the Foreign Office (FO) said.

During the call, the foreign minister shared that Pakistan had been battling one of the most severe cycles of torrential monsoon weather, which had resulted in the loss of lives, livelihood and extensive damage to infrastructure.

As a result, the delivery of assistance and relocation of affectees was severely limited, he added.

Highlighting the government’s efforts, FM Bilawal informed that in addition to financial support, food packs, shelter items including tents, and Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) supplies were also being provided.

Acknowledging the international community’s support, Bilawal highlighted that Pakistan launched the “UN Flash Appeal” for a flood response plan on August 30, which prioritised focused interventions in specific areas. FM Abdollahian conveyed condolences on the loss of lives and material damage due to the floods and assured to assist in the provision of relief. In the bilateral context, the foreign minister said that the recently concluded session of the Joint Economic Commission had helped further strengthen cooperation in multiple sectors.

Recalling his visit to Tehran in June, the foreign minister reiterated the invitation to Dr Hossein Amir Abdollahian to visit Pakistan.

https://tribune.com.pk/story/2374242/fm-bilawal-receives-call-from-iranian-counterpart-amid-floods-fury

Video Report - #Pakistan - #FloodsInPakistan2022 #FloodSituation #FloodReliefFund2022 - د مينګورې سیلاب خپلي مرستې غواړي

Video Report - #Pakistan - #FloodsInPakistan2022 #FloodSituation #FloodReliefFund2022 - Death toll rises in cataclysmic Pakistan floods

Video Report - #Pakistan - #FloodsInPakistan2022 #FloodSituation #FloodReliefFund2022 - Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari talks to media along with foreign diplomats

Video Report - #Pakistan - #FloodsInPakistan2022 #FloodSituation #FloodReliefFund2022 - Foreign Minister of Pakistan Bilawal Bhutto Zardari’s interview with Sky News

#Pakistan - #FloodsInPakistan2022 #FloodSituation #FloodReliefFund2022 - Bilawal’s appeal generates ‘Rs1.03trn aid in one hour’

Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari’s appeal managed to generate huge assistance of Rs1.03 trillion from the member countries of the United Nations within one hour. The United States of America on the appeal of Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari gave Pakistan Rs6.5 billion aid.

On his appeal, World Bank, Asian Development Bank, World Health Organization, UNICEF, Red Crescent, and member countries of the UN showed a positive response. After his appeal China, Turkiye, USA, UK, Azerbaijan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, UAE and other countries announced immediate assistance.

Flash floods: Bilawal hopes financial institutions to take economic fallout into account

On the appeal of Bilawal, the UN member countries besides cash assistance also announced to send tents, medicines, edibles and other relief goods. However, the announcements from different UN member countries on the appeal of Bilawal were continuing for the flood affectees of Pakistan till filing this story.

https://www.brecorder.com/news/40194826

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Video Report - Joint Press stakeout for “2022 Pakistan Floods Response Plan” by Foreign Minister Pakistan Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and United Nations Resident Coordinator, Julian Harneis

It was beyond my expectations Imran would sink so low, says Bilawal on leaked audio

Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari Monday took a jibe at PTI chairperson Imran Khan for passing instructions to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab's finance ministers to withdraw from the International Monetary Fund's (IMF) deal. The revelations came to the fore in an audio leak Monday where the ex-finance minister Shaukat Tarin could be heard directing Punjab Finance Minister Mohsin Leghari and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Finance Minister Taimur Khan Jhagra to cite recent floods as a core reason for withdrawing from the deal.

Taking to Twitter, Bilawal said that it was "beyond his expectations" that Imran Khan would sink so low.

The foreign minister said that Khan chose this moment — when Pakistan is facing a catastrophic flood situation — to exploit the KP and Punjab governments to sabotage the national interest. 

"First he [Khan] entered into a deal with the IMF, then he almost pushed the country to default to save his premiership. Now he tries to sabotage IMF economic bailout of the mess he created!" he wrote. 

Referring to the leaked conversation between former finance minister Shaukat Tarin with Punjab and KP's ministers, Bilawal said that KP's finance minister called it "blackmailing" while the other said that this would "damage the state". 

"Imran’s been caught corruptly abusing charity donations for his personal and political purposes. exposed in a foreign funding case. To avoid getting caught, he’s been on a relentless campaign against every institution. That he would sink so low now, was beyond even my expectations," wrote the minister. 

Earlier today, Finance Minister Miftah Ismail also castigated the PTI leadership during a press conference. 

"Shaukat Tarin is the architect behind PTI's move. Is Imran Khan so power-hungry that he will do anything to get back? Is Imran Khan bigger than Pakistan?" he questioned. 

"You have crossed all lines this time," he told the PTI.

https://www.geo.tv/latest/436830-it-was-beyond-my-expectations-imran-would-sink-so-low-says-bilawal-on-leaked-audio

پاکستان کو عالمی برادری کی مدد کی فوری ضرورت ہے، بلاول بھٹو

 وزیر خارجہ بلاول بھٹو زرداری کا کہنا ہے کہ پاکستان گلوبل وارمنگ کی وجہ

سے براہ راست متاثر ہو رہا ہے، پاکستان کو عالمی برادری کی مدد کی فوری ضرورت ہے۔

بلاول بھٹو نے کہا کہ کلاؤڈ برسٹ اور طوفانی بارشوں سے سیلاب آیا، سیلاب زدہ علاقوں میں بحالی اور تعمیر نو کی ضرورت ہے، موسمیاتی تبدیلیوں کے باعث پاکستان میں ہیٹ ویو نے ریکارڈ توڑ دیے۔

انہوں نے کہا کہ موسمیاتی تبدیلیوں کی وجہ سے پاکستان کو شدید بارشوں اور سیلاب کا سامنا ہے، 72 اضلاع میں 3 کروڑ افراد کو سیلاب کی صورتحال کا سامنا ہے۔

ان کا یہ بھی کہنا ہے کہ سیلاب متاثرین کی کھانے پینے کی اشیاء تک رسائی مشکل ہورہی ہے، امداد پر دوست ملکوں اور عالمی برادری کے شکر گزار ہیں۔

انہوں نے کہا کہ  پاکستان کو ٹینٹس اور مچھر دانیوں کی فوری ضرورت ہے۔

https://jang.com.pk/news/1129929 

Video Report - Death toll tops 1,000 in Pakistan floods as officials declare a "climate catastrophe"

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Pakistan foreign minister says help needed after 'overwhelming' floods

"I haven't seen the destruction of this scale, I find it very difficult to put into words," said Pakistan's Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari in an interview with Reuters, adding many crops that provided much of the population's livelihoods had been wiped out.

Pakistan would this week launch an appeal asking United Nations member states to contribute to relief efforts, Bhutto-Zardari said, and the country needed to look at how it would handle the longer term impacts of climate change.

The foreign minister said that although Pakistan contributes “negligible amounts to the overall carbon footprint ... we are devastated by climate disasters such as these time and time again, and we have to adapt within our limited resources, in whatever way we can, to live in this new environment."

Yahoo.com

سیلاب سے 1500 سے زائد افراد جاں بحق ہوئے، وزیر خارجہ

 وزیر خارجہ بلاول بھٹو زرداری نے کہا ہے کہ پاکستان میں سیلاب سے 1500

سے زائد افراد جاں بحق اور 3 کروڑ 30 لاکھ افراد متاثر ہوئے۔

سوشل میڈیا پر بلاول بھٹو نے پیغام میں لکھا کہ سیلاب سے خیبرپختونخوا، جنوبی پنجاب، بلوچستان اور سندھ متاثر ہوئے ہیں، سیلاب لوگوں کا سب کچھ بہا کر لے گیا۔

انہوں نے اپنے پیغام میں زور دیا کہ ہر پاکستانی کو سیلاب متاثرین کی مدد کے لیے اقدامات کرنے چاہئیں۔

https://jang.com.pk/news/1129605

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Video Report - Bilawal Bhutto Zardari: Our priority are the people affected by the floods -

Video Report - #Floods #Pakistan #Swat Floods in Swat: Buildings collapse into river -

Pakistan flooding: Death toll in 'climate catastrophe' tops 1,000

Authorities are racing to evacuate residents as provinces brace for more flooding. Pakistan's top climate official Sherry Rehman tells DW much of the country "resembles a small ocean."

Pakistan's Climate Change Minister Sherry Rehman said that Pakistan is experiencing a "serious climate catastrophe" as the death toll from devastating flooding passed 1,000 on Sunday.

"We've had to deploy the navy for the first time to operate in Pakistan because much of it... resembles a small ocean," Rehman told DW.

More than 100 people have died in the past day alone, officials said, with most of the new casualties reported in the southeastern province of Sindh and northwestern province of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.

Rehman noted extreme weather conditions that have hit Pakistan this year as proof of a climate crisis.

"That started literally in early March, late February, when we went straight from winter to spring. Pakistan became one of the hottest places on the planet, crossing 53 degrees [Celsius] in the south. And that triggered... a whole season of forest fires, which we had to battle in areas where we already have low forest cover," Rehman said.

Observers have pointed to corruption and poor infrastructure in Pakistan. But Rehman argues that UN experts on the ground now don't "see it as anything but a climate catastrophe."

"I don't know anyone that could have planned for eight weeks of unrelenting monsoons in cities... taking 700% more water than ever. I don't think that's about planning. But having said that, of course, we need to plan better," she said.

Further torrents expected in Sindh, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa evacuates thousands Officials warned further torrents of water are expected to reach Sindh in the coming days."Right now, [the Indus river] is in high flood," said Sukkur Barrage supervisor Aziz Soomroo. The barrage redirects water from the Indus to a vast system of canals.Years of neglect have meant that the barrage's canals have not been capable of dealing with today's record volumes.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said he had never seen anything like it.

"Village after village has been wiped out. Millions of houses have been destroyed. There has been immense destruction," Sharif said during a visit to Sindh.

In Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, tens of thousands of people have been evacuated from their homes to relief camps set up in government buildings. The provincial government spokesperson, Kamran Bangash, said that many evacuees have also taken shelter on roadsides. Local Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa officials cited by Pakistani news portal Dawn said that areas of the province had been "cut off" from the rest of the country, and many residents had been attempting to evacuate by foot, some traveling for days.

International support

Development Minister Ahsan Iqbal told the EFE news agency that "some countries have promised aid that is on its way, but we need more assistance for the millions of people affected by the rains."

The US, UK, China and the United Arab Emirates are among the countries that have pledged support.

The prime minister's office said that the first delivery of international assistance occurred at the Noor Khan airbase near Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa's capital Rawalpindi, and 15 more planes delivering aid will arrive over the coming days.

Pope Francis asserted his "closeness to the people of Pakistan struck by flooding of disastrous proportions." He called for international solidarity to be "prompt and generous."

Rehman also called for international help. "I would like not to be hectored by Western communities that have gotten rich on the back of burning fossil fuels. We are less than a 1% emitter in the world," she said.

https://www.dw.com/en/pakistan-flooding-death-toll-in-climate-catastrophe-tops-1000/a-62955961

#Pakistan - #PPP - Bilawal wins $1b Saudi investment pledge

Saudi Arabia will invest $1 billion in Pakistan as part of its plan to help revive the country’s economy that has been reeling from one crisis to another since the last few months.

The Saudi investment will give a boost to the government’s desperate measures to bring some semblance of stability in the fragile economy. The announcement from Saudi Arabia came following a telephonic conversation between Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan and his Pakistani counterpart Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.

“The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, issued a directive to invest $1 billion in Pakistan, in confirmation of the kingdom's support of the Pakistani economy and the Pakistani people,” read the statement issued by the Saudi State media on Thursday. The statement said the Saudi foreign minister informed the Kingdom’s decision to Bilawal during a telephone call. “In addition to discussing the strong Saudi-Pakistani relations and ways to boost them, regional and international issues of common interest are also discussed during the call,” the statement added.In a tweet Bilawal confirmed the telephonic conversation with the Saudi foreign minister. Bilawal welcomed the Saudi commitment to invest $1 billion in Pakistan. He also briefed his Saudi counterpart on the damages caused by unprecedented floods. Bilawal thanked Farhan for the Saudi assurance to extend all possible assistance.

It is not clear where and when the latest investment would be made. Saudi Arabia is one of the key countries that Pakistan has been seeking financial support from. Riyadh has agreed to roll over a $3 billion loan later this year. The latest pledge from Saudi Arabia came on the heels of Qatar announcing $3 billion investment in Pakistan.

Islamabad is desperately looking for financial assistance from friendly countries to shore up its depleting foreign reserves. The expected release of $1.2 billion next instalment from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) will certainly avert any possibility of default.But Pakistan needs assistance from other countries and international financial institutions to keep its economy afloat. With the ongoing devastation caused by floods in Sindh, Baluchistan and parts of Punjab, the country’s economic woes will certainly be compounded.

https://tribune.com.pk/story/2373118/bilawal-wins-1b-saudi-investment-pledge

#Pakistan #PPP - Bilawal hits out at Imran for holding public rallies despite flood devastation

There will be time for doing politics but at the moment it is time to assist the flood victims, says the foreign minister.

Lashing out at former prime minister Imran Khan for holding political gatherings despite devastation due to unprecedented floods in the country, Foreign Minister and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has said that the PTI chief is busy in "political point-scoring".

In an interview with BBC on Saturday, Bilawal said that there will be time for doing other activities including politics but at the moment it is time to assist the flood victims. "Our rivals whether in the government or in the opposition, always lacked interest in such matters."

He said that the rain-related floods have wreaked havoc in Pakistan and the devastations are spread from one corner of the country to the other.

"Rain-related floods have ruined peoples’ shelters, crops and everything. Punjab, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit and Sindh provinces have been hit very badly. The Sindh province has undergone the worst of all-time high catastrophe," he said. The foreign minister said that every district of Sindh has been badly affected and the Sindh government has marked them as the worst calamity-hit zones. Bilawal said the rain-related floods have so far rendered above 80,000 homeless in district Larkana alone. The PPP chairman was of the view that amid this escalating catastrophe, the resources are very limited to cater to the needs of those affected. "There is an immediate need for tents, raw and cooked foods and medicine to help the affectees." He said that the rains that started in June continued till the end of August, and still the relief and rescue process is on the go. He said that a large-scale migration has already set in as the people are shifting from flood-affected areas to safer dry areas. "The government will provide all necessities such as tents and food and arrangements have been made at schools, colleges and government buildings for their temporary shelters."

Bilawal said that the next process will be the rehabilitation of the affected areas, the houses of the victims and the infrastructure of flood-hit areas will have to be rebuilt.

Counting on the high numbers of casualties and damages, the PPP leader feared an increase in human casualties.

Talking about the politics of the opposition, Bilawal said that it is sad that amid this huge devastation politicking is being intensely done. He said that wherever there is a flood or an earthquake in the world, the whole country unites and helps the victims. He said what could be said if the opposition wants to keep busy in political point scoring.

"It is our priority to lessen the agonies of the flood victims. Wherever the victims can get relief, including the federal and provincial governments, let us deliver that relief," he added.

The foreign minister said that this time it rained so heavily that he had to postpone his visit to the European Union because it was the call of the duty to stay among those affected.

Bilawal pointed out that the current opposition was in the government in 2020, but it did not support the flood victims of Sindh province.

"Imran Khan’s own province [K-P] has been affected but sadly he is busy in political point scoring. He is holding political gatherings," he added.

Bilawal said that there is no government in the world, which is capable of dealing with a natural calamity on this huge scale, but they spare nothing and try their best to make redressal. "It is our top priority to provide tents to the victims for temporary shelters." He said that the Sindh government had 90,000 tents available which do not suffice the needs, adding that at least one million tents are required. He said that the government and society are working together to provide food and assistance to the affectees. The PPP chairman said that during the 2020 floods, the victims did not get anything, but today the victims are expected to receive assistance through the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP).

He admired the secure system of the BISP, through which people are being helped out.

He said that before the BISP, there was no victim assistance system available in the country, through which we would have helped people in difficult times.

https://tribune.com.pk/story/2373455/bilawal-hits-out-at-imran-for-holding-public-rallies-despite-flood-devastation

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#Pakistanfloods: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa witnesses another day of deaths, devastation

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa [Pakistan], August 27 (ANI): Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on Saturday witnessed another day of deaths and devastation as three more people were killed as a result of landslides and floods in Swat.

Meanwhile, Nowshera authorities renewed calls for evacuation as the Kabul River witnessed ‘very high flood,’ reported Dawn.

Nowshera Deputy Commissioner (DC) Mir Reza Ozgen renewed his call for the relocation of the district’s residents to safer places as the flow in Kabul River rose above 300,000 cusecs, resulting in a “very high flood” in the water body.

According to Dawn, the flooding caused widespread devastation in the district, submerging several villages.

On Friday, the Kabul River and Swat River in KP experienced “very high floods” at several other locations, triggering evacuations by the authorities from low-lying areas and imposition of emergency in many districts.Subsequently, calls were made for the evacuation of residents from Nowshera and Charsadda keeping in view the increased risk of flooding as water levels in the rivers rose and part of Munda headworks, which regulates the flow of the Swat River, collapsed.The Provincial Disaster Management Authority in KP issued a statement around the same time, saying that the water level in the river in Nowshera was recorded at 315,262 cusecs. It added that the river’s water level in Virk had reached 130,364 cusecs.

A rain emergency remained in place in several areas of the province in the wake of unprecedented rains that pushed most of the country into a crisis.

At present, more than half of Pakistan is under water and millions of people have been rendered homeless as a result of flash flooding generated by abnormal monsoon rains which have entered their eighth spell with no signs of subsiding, reported Dawn.According to the latest estimates, nearly 1,000 people, including 300 children, have lost their lives because of rains and resulting flooding that has impacted nearly 33 million people – almost 15 per cent of the country’s population.A day after a rain emergency was declared in Swat, the district’s additional deputy commissioner, Abrar Wazir, said on Saturday that landslides and floods had claimed a total of 15 lives in different areas.

On Friday, 12 deaths in the district were linked to rains, floods and related incidents.

KP Secretary of Information and Public Relations Arshad Khan said that over 500,000 cusecs of water had flooded the province.

“The government has started rescue and relief efforts in all affected areas, while the work on the restoration of road infrastructure is going on an emergency basis,” he told media persons in Swat.

Arshad also said that the helicopter used by KP CM had been deployed for the flood operations. “It will be used to rescue tourists stranded across the province and to provide food items to isolated areas.”

The government has further sought more helicopters from the Pakistan Army, the official added.

According to the PDMA report today, the district administration has established 17 relief camps in the district where 2,230 people have been accommodated. Meanwhile, 180,000 residents have been moved to safer locations.Meanwhile, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority tweeted that damages to optical fibre cables and power outages have been reported in Chitral, Upper Dir, Donbala, Swat, Medan, Lal Qila Simarbaghdir, Tank and Dera Ismail Khan, impacting connectivity services, reported Dawn.Rain and floods have not spared Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) as well, the provincial disaster management authority’s deputy director, Zaheeruddin Babar, told Dawn.“In the last two months, 17 people have died and three injured in 110 incidents of rains and floods in the region,” he said. “Yesterday, six people died after they were swept away by floods in Ghizer.”

Babar revealed that among the people who died in the rains, 12 belonged to Ghazor, 3 hailed from Diamer and two from Hunza. So far, he went on, 540 houses have been completely destroyed and 88 houses were partially damaged due to the floods during July and August. “53 bridges, 22 hydropower plants, 49 roads in different districts, 500 irrigation channels and 78 water tanks have been washed away,” the deputy director said.

Meanwhile, GB Minister for Information Fateh Ullah said that the region had suffered financial losses amounting to Rs 10 billion.

In Sindh, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif reached Sujawal on Saturday to visit flood-affected areas in the district, review relief work and also meet flood victims, reported Dawn.

Speaking to the media on the occasion, the PM said that the federal government had allocated a grant of Rs 38 billion to support each flood-affected family with disbursement of Rs 25,000.Speaking to the flood-affected people, Shehbaz said he had already announced a grant of Rs 15 billion to Sindh province while the distribution of flood relief amount among each family had commenced in Sindh province after Balochistan under Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP).

“Unfortunately, huge losses are being witnessed across the country, but with joint and continuous efforts, we will overcome the challenges faced in the wake of this natural catastrophe,” he said, also expressing concern over the worsening flood situation in KP.

Meanwhile, Balochistan’s misery, which has probably suffered the most in the aftermath of devastating monsoon rains this year, continues, reported Dawn. Highways linking Balochistan with other provinces remained non-operational on Friday as relentless rains and floods did not allow authorities to repair the damaged arteries. Another bridge on the Quetta-Sukkur road also suffered damage due to flooding in the Bolan River. Telephone and internet services were disrupted in several parts of Balochistan due to damage caused by torrential rains. The services were partially restored in 10 districts of the province by Friday night.

The government decided to deploy the army in all provinces to help the civilian authorities in rescue operations in calamity-hit areas, reported Dawn.

A notification issued to this effect said the exact number of troops and areas of deployment would be worked out by respective provincial governments in consultation with the military operations directorate and General Headquarters. “…The date of de-requisitioning of said deployment will be decided subsequently after mutual consultation among all stakeholders,” the notification read.

Separately, the military’s media affairs wing also said on Friday that Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa would be visiting the flood-affected areas of Sindh and Balochistan today to review the situation there, reported Dawn. (ANI)

This report is auto-generated from ANI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.

https://theprint.in/world/pakistan-floods-khyber-pakhtunkhwa-witnesses-another-day-of-deaths-devastation/1103730/

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#PakistanFloods #FloodSituation - Foreign Minister Wang Yi has expressed sympathy to Pakistani Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari for the floods

 China has noted the severe floods raging across Pakistan and the heavy casualties and loss of property ensued. We express sincere condolences to the victims, and our hearts go out to the bereaved families, the injured and those in the stricken areas.

China and Pakistan are true friends and good brothers sharing weal and woe. We are always ready to help each other in the face of major natural disasters. China will never forget that Pakistan rushed to our assistance after the earthquake hit Wenchuan in 2008 and airlifted all its tents in store to the stricken area. State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi has expressed sympathy to Pakistani Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari for the floods. Under the social and livelihood cooperation framework of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, China has provided 4,000 tents, 50,000 blankets and 50,000 pieces of waterproof canvas. They have been delivered to the frontline of disaster relief.

Considering the current situation, China has decided to provide another batch of emergency humanitarian supplies, including 25,000 tents and other supplies in dire need, to be delivered as soon as possible. The Red Cross Society of China will provide USD 300,000 in emergency cash assistance to the Pakistan Red Crescent Society. China will continue to promote bilateral cooperation in disaster prevention and mitigation and against climate change. It is believed that under the leadership of the Pakistani government and with the joint help of the international community, the people in the disaster-hit areas will overcome the difficulties and life and work will go back to normal at an early date.

https://www.fmprc.gov.cn/eng/xwfw_665399/s2510_665401/202208/t20220824_10750725.html