Web Desk (LTN NEWS): Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has decided to lead the relief effort after the massive floods. On Thursday, he met with international partners who promised to give Pakistan $500 million to help fix the damage caused by the monsoon rains.
The prime minister just got back from a two-day trip to Qatar. He canceled his trip to London so he could be with his sick granddaughter in a hospital there. The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said, “On the request of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, international organizations and financial institutions have said they will help flood victims right away with more than $500 million.”
At the meeting were officials from China, the United States, the European Union, the United Nations, and the World Health Organization, as well as representatives from the Asian Development Bank, the World Bank, and other international financial institutions, development partners, and donors.
The floods in the country, especially in Sindh and Balochistan, caused a lot of damage, which the prime minister told the other countries about. He said that the record floods had put the country in an emergency situation and that hundreds of people had died.
Cabinet gives a month’s pay to flood victims; PM cancels trip to London and goes to Sukkur today to check on rescue efforts.
The prime minister was quoted as saying that the damage from the floods was worse than what happened during the floods in 2010. He said that the government had given Rs5 billion to help and that the family of each person who died was getting Rs1 million.
The prime minister said that each family affected by the flood was given Rs25,000 right away and that Rs80 billion was set aside for this.
The PM asked international organizations, financial institutions, and other countries to help the Pakistani government in an emergency. He also said that the government had set up a Prime Minister Relief Fund 2022 to speed up the relief efforts.
The prime minister also praised the army, government agencies, departments of public service, doctors, nurses, and volunteers for working hard in a tough situation. “…we want the international partners to help us. We need basic supplies and medical staff to get through this hard time.”
He asked international partners to come to the flood-damaged areas and said that the government would make plans for their trip.
$500 million in emergency relief
The World Bank’s country director for Pakistan, Najy Benhassine, told the PM that the World Bank would help Pakistan right away with $350 million.
The World Bank would give the money by the end of this week, and after figuring out how bad the damage is, it would also work with Pakistan to come up with a plan for rebuilding the infrastructure.
The World Food Programme, which is part of the United Nations, also said it would give $110 million to help people who were hurt by the floods. The Asian Development Bank said it would help with $20 million, and UKAid said it would give $1.7 million. UKAid also said that it would give another 38 million pounds ($44.9 million) for projects that will help flood victims in the short and long term.
Cabinet donates salary
In the meantime, members of the federal cabinet decided to give one month’s worth of pay to help with flood relief and recovery.
Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb said that the prime minister will go to Sukkar on Friday to meet flood victims and get an aerial view of flood-damaged areas in southern Punjab and Sindh.
