As temperatures plummet and dense fog envelopes vast tracts of central and northern Pakistan, the UN refugee agency is scaling up its distribution of winter aid to flood victims across the country. The United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) on Friday started distribution of winter packages to some 112,000 of the most vulnerable people in the coldest pockets of 11 flood-hit districts of the southern Punjab.
Since late last month, 56,000 poor flood victims have already received extra blankets, shawls, quilts and sweaters in Jacobobad and Daddu districts of Sindh where communities are also still struggling with stagnant waters and lack of livelihood recourses. Distribution is continuing for another 217,000 people in the province. "The winter aid package will help alleviate suffering of women, children and other vulnerable people whose lives have been devastated by floods and who now are battling the severe cold in various parts of the country," said UNHCR's Deputy Representative in Pakistan Khassim Diagne.
In the Azakhel, a refugee village in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was completely washed away in the July floods, some 7,000 of the most vulnerable people camping out on the fringes of the former settlement will receive winter aid by end of this week. To date, UNHCR has already given winter relief to 16,282 refugees affected by floods in addition to shelter aid distributed some months ago.
Some 217,000 people have already received winter aid in Swat, Shangla, Chitral, Kohistan, Lower Dir and D.I Khan Districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. About another 200,000 people will receive winter aid across the province in the coming weeks, including flood-affected Pakistanis and Afghan refugees, conflict-affected internally displaced people residing in camps, and those returning to the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA). In Balochistan, almost 40,000 flood displaced people in Sibbi, Jaffarabad, Naseerabad and Quetta have so far received extra warm clothing and blankets. Distribution is ongoing over the coming weeks to another 16,247 people.