Bilawal brings wrecked Sindh into global focus
- Representatives of donor agencies, diplomats briefed about losses
ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has expressed satisfaction over the international response to the UN flash appeal for help of flood-affected people of Pakistan and indicated that the country would need additional assistance for the next phase of reconstruction and rehabilitation.
The foreign minister was talking to the state-run PTV along with members of the diplomatic corps.
He said that the government had arranged a special visit of ambassadors and envoys of various countries to the flood-hit areas to provide them with first-hand knowledge about the devastation wreaked by recent floods.
“At present, we are focusing on relief and rescue operations for which we have appealed to the international community for an emergency assistance of over $160 million,” he said.
The foreign minister added that the initial estimates of the damages are more than $10 billion, adding that the government will need additional assistance for the next phase of reconstruction and rehabilitation of the affected population.
Bilawal along with diplomats of more than 20 different countries including from the United States, China, France, Japan, Italy, South Korea, Qatar, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Azerbaijan, Germany and Spain as well as representatives of international organisations visited the flood-affected areas of Sindh, Balochistan, and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.
Bilawal’s appeal generates ‘Rs1.03trn aid in one hour’
The foreign minister was also accompanied by Federal Minister Khurshid Shah and Chief Minister Sindh Murad Ali Shah and Federal Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal during the visit.
Federal Minister Khurshid Shah and Sindh Chief Minister welcomed Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Federal Minister for Planning and accompanying diplomats at Sukkur Airport.
At the Sukkur airport, an NDMA briefing was given to diplomats and representatives of international organizations regarding the flood induced disaster.
Foreign Minister Bilawal informed the diplomats and representatives of international organizations about the immense scale of this ongoing tragedy.
Speaking on the occasion, the envoys expressed solidarity with the people of Pakistan in this hour of need.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2022
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