Pakistan’s flood-hit communities: Int’l donors, govt urged to provide sustained support
ISLAMABAD: Experts Thursday called on international donors and the government to provide sustained support to protect the vulnerable communities that have suffered from recent floods.
They have also called for a joint and coordinated response to protect vulnerable communities as waters spread across Punjab and head toward Sindh.
A consortium of local organisations has launched a joint humanitarian response strategy to address the 2025 floods, urging unity in relief and recovery efforts.
A coalition of Pakistani humanitarian organisations has unveiled a joint strategy to tackle crisis followed by devastating floods. The initiative, launched virtually under the theme “Local Capacity, Collective Action: Humanitarian Programme Strategy for Floods 2025,” brings together the Indus Consortium, Laar Humanitarian and Development Programme (LHDP), HELP Foundation, and Doaba Foundation.
Liaqat Ali, Chairman of Indus Consortium, has stressed the urgency of collective action in the face of severe flood emergencies. Pakistan is grappling with widespread destruction, with millions of people at risk of losing homes, crops, and livelihoods. The strategy, Ali said, is designed to provide both immediate relief and a roadmap for recovery while ensuring transparency and accountability.
The Humanitarian Programme Strategy Version 1.0 outlines objectives and advocacy priorities that will evolve as the disaster unfolds. It sets three primary goals: articulating a collective vision and planned outreach, fostering collaboration with humanitarian stakeholders, and inviting feedback to strengthen the strategy as conditions change. “Our strength lies in local capacity and collective action,” Ali noted. “Only by standing together can we match the scale of the unfolding crisis.”
During the session, Indus Consortium CEO Hussain Jarwar gave a detailed presentation on the past humanitarian contributions of the participating organisations, particularly in water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) initiatives.
He also provided updates on the current situation, emphasising that local civil society groups should be recognised as implementation partners rather than treated merely as grantees in international aid programmes.
Jarwar highlighted the ongoing support being delivered to flood-hit communities through the resources and networks of the consortium.
Javed Iqbal, representing the Doaba Foundation, offered an eyewitness account of the worsening conditions in central Punjab, where floods have displaced communities and destroyed crops.
He warned that looming food security challenges could intensify as waters continue to damage farmland and disrupt supply chains.
Participants in the event echoed these concerns, stressing the urgent need for both relief supplies and long-term strategies to restore livelihoods.
The Indus Consortium and its partners emphasised that the strategy would continue to evolve in line with ground realities, with Version 2.0 expected to incorporate lessons from the early phases of relief distribution.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025