President Arif Alvi urges nation, world to support flood victims

ISLAMABAD: President Dr Arif Alvi has appealed to the entire nation, overseas Pakistanis and international community to support the flood victims, ARY News reported on Friday.

In a statement, President expressed the hope that Pakistanis would come forward once again and contribute generously in cash and kind to support the rescue and relief efforts of the government and other relevant organizations.

He called upon all governments and institutions, NGOs and volunteers to offer their expertise and leadership to rescue, evacuate, and rehabilitate the affected people by providing them shelter, food and medical facilities.

President Alvi also called upon the media to motivate the nation to donate the essential items identified by the government through formal channels set up or endorsed by the government in an organized and disciplined manner.

The president said that unprecedented rains and resultant floods had damaged standing crops, affected roads, bridges and embankments, and disrupted communication and transportation infrastructure, making rescue and relief efforts an uphill task.

He urged the international community to provide their expertise, technology, and required machinery to the relevant government institutions to help restore infrastructure and provide their logistic and humanitarian support to help relevant government agencies cope with the enormous task of aiding the flood victims across the country.

It is pertinent to mention here that heavy rains triggered flash floods and wreaked havoc across much of Pakistan since mid-June, leaving 903 dead and about 50,000 people homeless.

Taking to Twitter, Federal Minister for Climate Change Sherry Rehman shared that the highest number of deaths and injuries during the time period was recorded in Sindh and Balochistan.

“Since June, 903 people, including 326 children and 191 women, have died in various incidents of monsoon rains and floods.”