UN Secretary General reaches Pakistan to express solidarity with flood victims

ISLAMABAD: United Nations (UN) Secretary General António Guterres reached Pakistan on Friday where he would express support in wake of devastating floods in the country which killed more than 1,300 people and displaced over 33 million others, ARY NEWS reported.

According to Foreign Office, upon his arrival, UN Secretary General António Guterres was received by Minister of State Hina Rabbani Khar at the Islamabad airport.

The foreign office said that the UN secretary general is on a solidarity visit to Pakistan from 9-10 September 2022 to express support in wake of devastating floods in Pakistan.

Upon his arrival, UN Secretary General @antonioguterres was received by MOS @HinaRKhar in #Islamabad.

UNSG is on a #SolidarityVisit to #Pakistan from 9-10 September 2022 to express support in wake of devastating #FloodsInPakistan.

🇵🇰🤝🇺🇳#UNSGinPak pic.twitter.com/pKo7Tk6ZAY

— Spokesperson 🇵🇰 MoFA (@ForeignOfficePk) September 8, 2022

Later in a message from his Twitter handle, António Guterres said that he had arrived in Pakistan to express his deep solidarity with the Pakistani people after the devastating floods.

“I appeal for massive support from the international community as Pakistan responds to this climate catastrophe,” he said.

I have arrived in Pakistan to express my deep solidarity with the Pakistani people after the devastating floods here.

I appeal for massive support from the international community as Pakistan responds to this climate catastrophe.

— António Guterres (@antonioguterres) September 8, 2022

According to a handout released by the Foreign Office, during the visit, Secretary General Guterres will have meetings with the Pakistani leadership and senior officials to exchange views on the national and global response to this catastrophe caused by climate change.

He will travel to areas most impacted by the climate catastrophe and interact with displaced families and first responders in the field, and oversee UN’s humanitarian response work in support of the government’s rescue and relief efforts for millions of affected people.

“UN Secretary-General’s visit will further raise global awareness about the massive scale of this calamity and the resulting loss of life and widespread devastation,” the foreign office said, adding it will contribute towards enhancing commensurate and coordinated international response to the humanitarian and other needs of the 33 million affected Pakistanis.