Pakistan Flooding

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World Bank boosts Pakistan flood support to $1 bln

Thursday, 02 Sep, 2010

WASHINGTON: The World Bank has increased funding to help Pakistan cope with catastrophic flooding by $100 million, to a total of $1 billion, the bank said in a statement on Wednesday.

“The World Bank is committed to helping the people of Pakistan during this time of need and has made US$1 billion available to finance immediate recovery needs and longer-term reconstruction,” the statement quoted World Bank President Robert Zoellick as telling Pakistani Finance Minister Hafeez Shaikh in Washington.

The funds are being diverted to flood use from money already earmarked for Pakistan. They will come from the International Development Association, the bank's fund for the poorest countries, and are concessional and carry no interest payments, the statement said.

Zoellick also told Shaikh that continued economic, institutional and governance reforms were critical to maintaining donor confidence.

“We need to respond strongly to the crisis at hand, but we need to do it without losing sight of important economic reforms,” he was quoted as saying.

“Renewed commitment to governance and fiscal reforms will be important to mobilize domestic revenues and ensure that funds reach the poor people it is intended for. The response of donors to the floods will also depend on the government's ability to deliver in this area,” he said.

Shaikh is part of a delegation visiting Washington for discussions with the International Monetary Fund about Pakistan's $11 billion IMF loan program.

While vowing to remain on track with the 2008 IMF loan program, under which the country pledged to implement tax and energy sector reforms, the minister also said he would seek understanding from the international community about the troubles Pakistan faced from the catastrophic floods.

Pakistani Information Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira said on Wednesday the country would register economic growth of just 2.5 percent in the year to June 2011 because of the impact of flooding, trimming an earlier 4.5 percent target.

DAWN.COM | Business | World Bank boosts Pakistan flood support to $1 bln

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Khairpur Nathan Shah being evacuated

KARACHI: Ongoing flood devastations in Sindh province is underway as tehsil Khairpur Nathan Shah is being seen on rapid evacuation as fast roaring deluges are heading to wreak anticipated devastation in the area, Geo News reported Thursday.

Meanwhile, flood tides have inundated Jati city of Thatta district.

According to member provincial assembly Imran Laghari, emergency has been declared in Khairpur Nathan Shah tehsil of Dadu district owing to flood anticipation, asking people to evacuate houses in the earliest.

Meanwhile, raging flood torrents, unleashed from two breaches in MS protective embankment, have entered Jati city of Thatta District after wreaking havoc in Sujawal.

Another roaring floodtide, surging from Hadad Kot, is heading to hit Khairpur Nathan Shah while the city’s 70 percent population has relocated themselves to safer places for fear of flood devastation.

A massive floodtide is 1km away from Kharipur Nathan Shah whereas; another flood torrent through breaches of MNV Drain is raging fast towards Khanpur and Indus Highway.

Several villages have been deluged by floodwater in Jati city.

Many cracks have started to appear in Dhamra Canal, allowing floodwater to flow through them.

www.thenews.com.pk - Security Verification

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Pakistan receives $150m grant,relief goods for flood victims

Thursday, September 02, 2010
By Shahnawaz Akhter

KARACHI: Pakistan has so far received $150 million grant and relief goods against the total foreign commitments of $991.8 million for the assistance of flood victims, the Finance Ministry said on Wednesday.

According to the update on foreign assistance in response to floods devastation, the commitments made with the non-government organisations stood at $679.84 million and the foreign pledges made to the government stand at around $281.13 million, the Finance Ministry data said.

The flood devastation has affected around 20 million people, besides claiming over 1,500 lives, destroying infrastructure and incurring losses of around 1.5-2 percent to the GDP growth.

The donor agencies, including the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank, are engaged in estimating the actual losses caused by the one of the biggest catastrophe in the history.

The world pledges included grant of $607.17 million, in which 89.63 million has so far been disbursed. The US/ USAID pledged $200 million grants for the flood victims followed by UK/DFID commitments of $115 million. The major contributing countries to the flood relief efforts included Australia ($32.2 million); Canada ($33 million); and Japan ($14.2 million).

Meanwhile, the European Union would provide $89 million and Saudi Fund for Development would help the country with $14.7 million.

The Islamic Development Bank (IDB) has agreed to disburse soft loan amounting to $10 million to the government for relief efforts.

The relief and rescue goods sent by the world amounted to $60.58 million against the commitments of $195.72 million made so far. The Finance Ministry said that Afghanistan had sent four helicopters to Peshawar, but the value of the relief items is not known. Similarly, Australia had sent two planes of relief goods against the pledge of three planes, according to the update.

The major contributor of relief goods is Saudi Arabia, which would provide $167 million to the flood victims in Pakistan. The country would directly provide relief goods worth $60 million to the government. Another $107 million have been raised through Saudi Public Assistance Campaign for relief activities.

China also pledged $20 million and it would directly hand over the amount to the government. In addition to the aid the country would also donate another 8.5 million worth of relief items, the Finance Ministry update said.

Country Pledges
US/USAID $200 million
UK/DFID $115 million
Australia, $32.2 million
Canada, $33 million
Japan $14.2 million

www.thenews.com.pk - Security Verification

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'This is Pakistan's Katrina'

JOHN KERRY

ARTICLE (August 31 2010): This is Pakistan's Katrina. I just returned from that country, where the devastation created by the recent floods was gut-wrenching. Five years after floods washed over the southern United States, Pakistan is suffering from an epic disaster. And we turn away from Pakistan in its hour of need at our own peril.

It's not just that one-fifth of the country - an area about the size of New England - is submerged. Nor is it that, with weeks left in the monsoon season, it could get worse. More than 1,600 people have been killed, 6 million are homeless, and more than 17 million have been affected in some way.

Those chilling numbers don't convey what I saw when our helicopter touched down in Multan on the Punjab plains. This is no isolated hamlet, but an ancient city, a district capital with a population of over 1.5 million. And it's inundated with water.

As people told their stories, their desperation for food and drinking water was evident. I saw children orphaned by the floods. And I saw joy when American helicopters arrived with food, water and medicine. The scale of the disaster was clear from the air, where miles of agricultural plains looked like a massive lake. Any flat surface high enough to escape the waters became a life raft, packed with people willing to bake in the hot sun rather than face the floodwaters.

So far, the world isn't keeping up with the challenge. The United States government is doing its part by leading international donor efforts with $200 million so far, including money from the "Kerry-Lugar-Berman" aid package for Pakistan that Congress passed last year. Much more needs to be done by foreign governments and private citizens alike.

The danger of the floods extends beyond a very real humanitarian crisis. A stable and secure Pakistan, based on democracy and the rule of law, is in all of our interests. Pakistan has made enormous strides in combating extremism and terrorism - at great sacrifice by its soldiers, police, and citizens. But its ability to keep up the fight requires an effective response to this crisis.

To its credit, the Obama administration understands the need for a multi-faceted approach. For the past year and a half, it has pursued a policy that goes beyond traditional security issues. With the Kerry-Lugar-Berman aid package of $1.5 billion a year in civilian assistance as the cornerstone, the administration has sought to help the Pakistani people overcome the political, economic, and security challenges that threaten Pakistan's stability and regional stability.

This is a long-term, people-to-people effort. The floods only raise the stakes. Already, there are concerns that extremist groups will provide aid to exploit the crisis and increase their influence over a vulnerable population. We have to be strategic. First, we have to understand the limits of aid. US assistance alone won't improve our image in the long run. While our standing improved in Pakistan after the 2005 Kashmir earthquake, the effects were temporary. A Pew poll taken before the floods showed only 17 percent of Pakistanis view us favourably, and 59 percent described the United States as an enemy. The good news is that 64 percent want better relations with us.

Second, we have to rethink how we communicate. Most Pakistanis receive their news from Urdu-language TV or, for the displaced, from cell phones. We need to target these media more effectively. We need a sophisticated communications strategy tailored to specific audiences - such as lower- to middle-class Punjabis, where the bulk of anti-American, anti-Indian, and pro-Taliban rhetoric is centered; young people, particularly on university campuses where radicalisation takes place; and opinion makers in Lahore and Karachi who drive the news cycle, particularly in local languages like Urdu and Pashto. The message also matters; it must resonate with Pakistanis.

Finally, we have to be transparent about how we are spending money in Pakistan and tailor our assistance to what Pakistanis want. They need to feel tangible benefits from US aid and see that we are spending our money to help them. Some remain suspicious of US efforts to channel money through the Pakistani government, which they view as corrupt or inadequate.

We have an opportunity with the Kerry-Lugar-Berman aid package to improve our long-term standing and make a real difference - if we communicate effectively and spend efficiently. If we fail to reverse the tide of public opinion, no amount of aid will succeed. Pakistan's Katrina has put enormous pressure on the Pakistan government. It will take years and billions of dollars to recover. By helping Pakistan do it right, we can have a positive and lasting impact. John Kerry is the chairman of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Courtesy: The Boston Globe

Business Recorder [Pakistan's First Financial Daily]

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Pakistan given $1.03 billion so far: 80 percent of aid money to be disbursed through NGOs, says Prime Minister

ISLAMABAD (September 05 2010): Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani on Saturday said that international donor agencies including the United Nations and some foreign countries have so far given $1.03 billion aid besides 137 planeloads of goods and medicines. He said a meeting of Council of Common Interests (CCI) has been summoned on Monday (September 6) and the Chief Ministers of all the four provinces would participate in the meeting.

He said 80 percent international aid money would be disbursed through Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and 20 percent through government to flood-hit areas for reconstruction and rehabilitation across the country. He said the aid of 137 foreign aircraft containing goods and medicines have been distributed among the flood victims of the four provinces.

He added that aid money was not given to the provinces so far. He said the UN, World Bank, Asian Development Bank, Saudi Arabia, UK, US, Germany, Turkey, UAE, European Unions (EU) and other counties are assisting Pakistan in this testing time. Addressing the National Assembly on Saturday, the Prime Minster said as many as 79 districts and 20 million people have been affected due to the devastating floods.

He said Pakistan has faced the loss of Rs 350 to 500 billion in the field of livestock. He added floods have affected 30 percent agriculture land of Pakistan. He said 1.3 million homes were destroyed, resultantly 7.5 people rendered homeless. He added that over 1600 persons were killed and 2600 injured in floods. The Prime Minister said as many as 1000 bridges, 4000-km roads and many electricity installations have been destroyed, adding that billions of rupees are required for their reconstruction. He said the UN has termed the floods as the worst.

"I appeal to all political parties to show solidarity and join hands in this hour of need to cope with the looming crisis. It is time to alleviate the hardships of the flood victims instead of indulging in political mileage," Gilani said. He also announced to convene All Parties Conference soon to discuss flood situation and the government plan for relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction in the flood-affected areas with political consensus. He said all political parties inside and outside the parliament would be invited to the conference.

The Prime Minister appreciated the role of Pak Army in flood-hit areas saying that the military has rescued 1.4 million people. He said as many as 497 health centers have been set up in the affected areas and 3322 Lady Health Workers are performing their duties in 52 districts. He said National Steering Committee on Health has also been set up while Diarrhea Treatment Centers have been established in 44 districts.

He said National Oversight Disaster Management Council has been constituted for transparent distribution of assistance among the affected people. He said the EU has increased aid from $30 million to $70 million for flood affected areas. He said the figure has reached Rs 4 billion in the account of Prime Minister for flood affected people.

Commenting on the Leader of Opposition's remarks, the Prime Minster said he agreed that government organisations including army needed government permission for fund rising. These organisations should recognise for collecting fund and accountability. About the accountability, the Prime Minister said that the Accountability Bill would soon be presented in the Parliament for setting up an independent body.

About setting up of commission, he said under 18th Amendment the provinces got autonomy. The provinces would collect funds instead of central commission. He said decision would be taken in the CCI meeting on Monday. The Prime Minister also announced to celebrate Eid with flood affected people. During his policy statement in the National Assembly on flood situation, the Prime Minister also announced not to hold 'Darbar' at the Prime Minister House on Eid ul Fitr.

"I announce to celebrate Eid with flood affected people. We cannot leave them alone. We need to console them and share their miseries," he said. "This time Eid Darbar shall also not be held at Prime Minister House," he added. The Prime Minister directed his Cabinet members to lay special focus on the affected areas and celebrate Eid with the flood-affected people in different areas.

Later, taking part in the debate on floods, the members demanded of the government to constitute a Judicial Commission to investigate the breaching banks of rivers and canals. While taking part in the debate, opposition members observed that the government adopted a casual attitude while dealing with the flood situation and no serious measure was taken to cope with the grave crisis. They said the government should take into confidence all political forces and devise a joint strategy to meet this challenge.

The Treasury members were of the view that the government despite meagre resources is taking solid measures to provide immediate relief to the flood victims. They said it is not the time for political point scoring. The opposition should join hands with the government in relief and rehabilitation activities.

They said the federal government has devised a comprehensive plan to provide relief and initiate rehabilitation and reconstruction activities in the affected areas. Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs Babar Awan said the proposal emanating from the members would be placed before the meeting of the Council of Common Interests. He said the government would implement these proposals.

Those who took part in the debate included Federal Minister Ejaz Hussain Jhakrani, former Justice Fakharunnisa Khokhar, Syed Ayaz Ali Shah, Humayun Saifullah, Sher Muhammad Baluch, Syed Saqlain Bokhari, Gul Muhammad Jakhrani, Dr Abdul Qadir Khanzada, Aftab Shaban Mirani, Marvi Memon, Dr Ramesh Kumar, Akram Masih Gill, Shamshad Sattar Bachani, Munawar Lal, Sardar Bahadur Khan, Bushra Gohar, Akhundzada Chattan, Farzana Mushtaq, Kashmala Tariq and others. Later, the House was prorogued for indefinite period.

Business Recorder [Pakistan's First Financial Daily]

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Iran provides $100 mln worth of aid

Sunday, 26 Sep, 2010

KARACHI: The Iranian Government and its people have donated dollars 100 million worth of assistance and 20 (twenty) consignments weighing 1000 tonnes of required items for flood affectees of Pakistan.

This was stated here Sunday by the out-going incharge of the flood relief activities and Red Crescent Society of Iran, Abbas Babai while addressing a press conference at the Karachi Press Club.

“Another consignment of 1000 tonnes carried by 300 trucks will also arrive by road very soon for the flood victims,” he said.

He said that all the efforts were being made to facilitate relief efforts in southern and northern parts of Pakistan.

Babai said that on the call of the Supreme leader of Islamic Revolution grand Ayatollah Syed Ali Khamenei, the Iranian Red Crescent Society kicked off its programme to render relief services for flood affected people of Pakistan.

He further elaborated that first camp was established at Makli, 10 kms from Thatta, with the capacity of 270 tents. Totally, so far, 190 relief workers of the Red Crescent Society have worked and treated 10,000 patients with the assistance of 21 medical camps.

Moreover, the public and government relief consignments including tents, carpets, blankets, mineral water, kitchen sets, pulses, flour, rice, edible oil, washing liquid and hygiene sets in different intervals arrived in Pakistan, he added.

The affected people covered with all the supplies included that in Badin, Sujawal, Thatta, Jamshoro, Bargha, Moro and Sehwan Sharif, Mehar, Rahim Yar Khan and other areas, he added.

DAWN.COM | Business | Iran provides $100 mln worth of aid