Islamabad, 1 September 2022 (TDI): The Ambassador of the United States to Pakistan Donald Blome called on Pakistan’s Federal Minister for Planning Development and Special Initiatives, Ahsan Iqbal to extend his support to Pakistan during this difficult time after recent floods in the country.
The US Ambassador offered his sincere condolences for the deaths caused by the devastating floods and demonstrated his support for the Pakistani government throughout the meeting.
Remarks of the Minister:
According to the Minister, the recent flood has had a profound impact on infrastructure and way of life in addition to taking human lives.
In the months to follow, food insecurity will undoubtedly face difficulties as a result of the harm done to crops and livelihoods, he warned.
He added that rebuilding the livelihoods of flood victims and the infrastructure that has been devastated is the most important issue after the first relief and rescue operations.
Furthermore, the Minister urged the international community to continue supporting Pakistan since the enormity of the floods is beyond the country’s resources, claiming that the latest floods are different from all previous such natural tragedies because they were caused by rain rather than rivers.
In addition, the Minister told the Ambassador that while the government is concentrating on getting the economy back on track, rescue and rehabilitation efforts have continued.
The Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) and other social protection programs are among the measures the government is doing in support of the flood-affected citizens.
Remarks of the Ambassador:
Ambassador Blome said that during this difficult time the US stands with Pakistan and continues to support the flood-affected people.
Also read: US expresses solidarity with Pakistan
Floods in Pakistan:
In Pakistan, floods have claimed the lives of at least 1,191 people since June 2022, including 380 children.
Heavy monsoon rains that were unusually heavy and glaciers that began to melt after a severe heat wave contributed to the floods, which are all connected to climate change.
Since the floods in South Asia in 2017, it has caused the most fatalities worldwide and is regarded as the worst flood in the history of the nation.
Due to the flooding, Pakistan proclaimed a state of emergency on August 25. The nation’s one-third population was submerged by August 29, according to Pakistan’s minister of climate change, affecting 33 million people.
