ISLAMABAD: The international donors and financial institutions have pledged $500 million financial aid for Pakistan to support the flood relief operations and rehabilitation process.
Donors announced this in a meeting called by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on August 25 in Islamabad. PM Shehbaz has spearheaded the relief operation in the wake of massive floods and he held a meeting with international partners on Thursday who pledged to provide $500 million to Pakistan.
According to the Prime Minster’s Office (PMO), the representatives of the World Bank, ADB, development partners, and officials of China, the United States, the European Union, the United Nations, and the WHO participated in the meeting.
The World Bank’s country director for Pakistan Najy Benhassine informed the PM that the WB would provide an assistance of $350 million immediate.
Meanwhile, the World Food Programme — a subsidiary of the United Nations — also announced $110 million for the flood-affected people, the ADB pledged to provide $20 million in assistance while the UKAid would give 1.5 million pounds ($1.7m). The UKAid also announced another 38 million pounds ($44.9m) for the mid-term and long-term projects for the restoration of the flood victims.
Earlier, PM Shehbaz informed the international partners about the devastation caused by floods in the country, especially in Sindh, Balochistan. He said the country faced an emergency situation because of the record floods and added that hundreds of people lost their lives.
So far, more than 900 people have lost their lives in floods and heavy rains across the country.
Prime Minister said the government had released Rs5 billion for relief operations. He also said that the family of every deceased was being given the financial assistance of Rs1 million.
The prime minister said the government was giving each flood victim family Rs25,000 as Rs80 billion have been allocated for this purpose.
The PM urged international organisations, financial institutions, and other countries to cooperate with the Pakistan government saying the government had set up a Prime Minister Relief Fund 2022 to speed up the relief efforts.
