Global institutions pledge $500m for Pakistan’s flood victims.
ISLAMABAD - Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday while considering the flood situation in the country, cancelled his visit to London where he planned to go to inquire after his ailing granddaughter.
Earlier, the prime minister intended to fly to London after his two-day official visit to Qatar, but he decided to travel back to Islamabad to review the ongoing rescue and relief operations in flood-hit areas.
On his arrival here, the prime minister would chair a meeting wherein the officers of the National Disaster Management Authority and other departments would brief the prime minister on rescue and relief efforts.
Meanwhile, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb has said that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will visit Sukkur on Friday to review flood rescue and relief activities.
“PM chaired International Partners meeting for cooperation in flood rescue, relief, rehabilitation right after reaching Islamabad at the Economic Affairs Division ,” she said in a tweet on Thursday.
Marriyum said the National Disaster Management Authority chairman and the representatives of provinces briefed the prime minister on flood relief and rescue, and cash distributions updates. On the appeal of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, international organizations and financial institutions have announced an immediate aid of more than 500 million dollars for the flood victims of Pakistan.
According to Prime Minister Office, the representatives of international organizations expressed full confidence in Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s immediate rehabilitation measures for the flood victims. The international institutions will ensure the transfer of funds during this week for Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s flood relief cash program under which 25,000 rupees will be given to each affected family.
Chairing an important meeting with the international partners in Islamabad on Thursday, regarding flood relief operations in the country, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said the government is utilizing all its resources for relief and rescue operation in flood affected areas.
After the rescue, the government will work on the rehabilitation of the flood victims and the construction of the damaged infrastructure.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif informed the international partners about the flood disasters across the country, especially in Sindh and Balochistan.
World Bank Country Director Najy Benhassine informed the Prime Minister about the emergency assistance of 350 million dollars from the World Bank. He especially praised the flood relief cash program of the Prime Minister. The World Bank will provide this aid in full by the end of this week. Apart from this, the World Bank will cooperate with Pakistan through a comprehensive plan for the restoration of infrastructure after the estimation of damages. The World Food Program, a subsidiary of the United Nations, announced an aid of 110 million dollars for the flood victims, while the Asian Development Bank announced 20 million dollars and UK Aid announced an immediate aid of 1.5 million pounds. UK Aid also announced 38 million pounds for medium and long-term projects for the rehabilitation of flood victims