Islamabad, 9 January 2023(GNP): As Pakistan has faced drastic impacts of climate change phenomena and heavy monsoon rainfall in Pakistan. It has brought destruction to infrastructure; agriculture, health, the economy, livestock, society and education across Pakistan and one-third of the country view it as the sea because of flood water. Floods destroyed the fertility of the land and crushed the infrastructure of the country at all in Pakistan. The government of Pakistan declared a national emergency to counter the flood crisis in Pakistan and appealed to the international community and the United Nations to help people on an immediate basis because flood water destroyed everything of people in Pakistan.
According to the Islamabad Policy Research Institute (IPRI) Infographics, floods destroyed 81 districts and 33 million people were affected, 13,000 plus people received injuries and there were approximately 1400 people died due to catastrophic flooding in the provinces of Pakistan. It not only affected people but also demolished houses, roads and agricultural land, nearly 4.4 million acres and the total figure of livestock was 872,000 in Pakistan.
Furthermore, a food crisis might occur due to flood water and 70 percent of Sindh land was affected and there was still underwater and crops could not cultivate easily in Sindh. Flood water has a long-term impact on agricultural land, which could be harmful for food security. Most of the people were dependent on the agriculture sector, where they could earn their bread and butter comfortably. It may increase the risk of unemployment, health issues and infrastructure across the province and people do not have a safe place to live there. People installed their camps alongside the roads and waited for the recovery and rehabilitation process.
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Moreover, Balochistan is the largest province in Pakistan by area and 7 percent of Balochistan was affected by flood water and 9 million people were victims of 67.7 percent of livestock died in the province of Balochistan.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was also hit by floods and many videos went viral on social media websites when floods came there and annihilated hotels, roads and houses in the province. Three percent of agricultural land and 2 percent of livestock had been demolished by the flood.
Additionally, Punjab is a populated province in Pakistan and 14 percent of agricultural land and 28.3 percent of livestock were dismantled by heavy monsoon rainfall and flooding. However, Punjab can face hardship in terms of food security and safety.
Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif visited flood-affected areas across Pakistan and witnessed the condition of people. The PM was determined to overcome the crisis and launched special projects to rehabilitate people in Pakistan. Shahbaz Sharif appealed to the International community and the United Nations to help people in Pakistan.
The UNO Secretary General Antonio Guterres visited flood-affected areas in Sindh and requested 160 million dollars for Pakistan regarding the flood rehabilitation process. UN Secretary General also met with flood victims and was determined to help the people of Pakistan. During the visit to Pakistan, Foreign Minister, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, accompanied by the Secretary General of the United Nations and the Prime Minister was also there. America funded 30 million dollars for flood relief in Pakistan, and the international community sends flood relief assistance to Pakistan as well.
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The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) manages the work of flood areas in Pakistan and, it is a federally administered Authority to formulate uniform policies to address the issues of disaster in provinces of Pakistan. The displacement of people was 20 million and a 3100-mile road infrastructure was damaged due to heavy monsoon rainfall and flood water. NDMA is trying to recover from the front flood-affected areas and participating in rehabilitation process in flood areas.
Last but not least, Pakistan can not maintain economic losses in the flood crisis and take multifarious losses due to flood water. Nevertheless, Pakistan will continue the International Monetary funds (IMF) program to help and stabilize its economy and fulfil the recovery and rehabilitation process in flood-affected areas in Pakistan. If the IMF does not agree with Pakistan, the economy of Pakistan will not face the consequences of inflation. The IMF programs must be ensured to strengthen the weak economy of Pakistan.
The United Nations Climate Change arranged a meeting to establish loss and damage funds for climate-hit areas. Egypt hosted a conference, which was COP-27 in November 2022, and the 27th conference of the parties, which was the Convention on Climate change, concluded with a historic decision. They chalked out some solutions and plan to hinder the worst conditions of weather due to climate change in the world.
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The upcoming Geneva International Conference on Climate Resilience Pakistan will be held on 9 January to collect funds for Pakistan’s flood-hit areas, and Pakistan invites the international community to the conference. PM Shahbaz Sharif will attend the conference in Geneva. PM Shahbaz Sharif will go to Geneva with cabinet Ministers including Foreign Minister Bilawal Zardari, Sherry Rehman, and Minister for Climate change, Maryam Aurangzeb and Finance Minister Ishaq Dar and they will present a plan for a recovery and rehabilitation process.
Recently, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari released a video in which he pointed out flood areas where there is still flood water and explained all details of floods in Baluchistan and Sindh.
In a nutshell, Pakistan will utilize all possible options to facilitate the people of flood victims’ areas and attract the international community to rehabilitate people from the crisis; otherwise it can be harmful for the food security and economy of Pakistan. Unfortunately, Pakistan did not formulate long-term policies where flood crises would be overcome. Therefore, Pakistan has to formulate uniform policies to manage the worsening economy of Pakistan nowadays.
