Islamabad (Web Desk): The government has assured that it will leave no stone unturned to bring normalcy back in the lives of flood-affected people of the country.
Briefing the media persons at National Flood Response and Coordination Center (NFRCC) in Islamabad on Saturday, Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal said that Pakistan is facing a massive climatic disaster and human tragedy, which is an outcome of environmental degradation.
He pointed out that Pakistan's carbon emissions are less than one percent but it is the seventh most vulnerable country for climatic disaster.
The minister said that the scale of devastation warrants a major humanitarian response for 33 million people affected by the floods.
The planning minister also briefed the media about the rehabilitation of critical infrastructure of roads, power and telecommunication.
He said the government or any institution cannot single handedly overcome this tragedy. He said the entire nation will have to get united to steer the country out of this challenge.
The minister also made a fervent appeal to the international community, countrymen and expatriate Pakistanis to help Pakistan in this hour of need.
Briefing the media about the rescue and relief activities being carried by the armed forces, Director General (DG) Inter-Services Public Relation (ISPR), Major General Babar Iftikhar said they are engaged in the rescue and relief efforts over the last two months.
During this period, we have rescued the people and also provided them with relief items, he said.
"Pakistan Army has established 147 relief camps wherein relief has been provided to 50,000 flood victims," the DG ISPR said, adding that 83,000 victims have been provided with free medical treatment in 250 medical camps.
Sharing the latest updates, Chairman National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) Lieutenant General Akhtar Nawaz said the calamity has so far killed 1,265 people and injured more than 1200.
He said rescue and relief operation is continuing in flood affected areas. He said we have provided 420,000 tents and keeping in view the heavy demand of tents, an effort has been made to build the capacity of tent manufacturing.
He said that 57,400 food packages have been distributed amongst the flood victims.
The NDMA chief said that there has been a good international response to the UN flash appeal for the assistance of flood affected people.
He said that 29 relief goods flights have been received over the last four days.
"These included ten from Turkey, eleven from the UAE, four from China, two from Qatar and one each from Uzbekistan and France," the NDMA chief said, adding that these flights carried goods such as 2,728 tents, 98 tons food packages, 50 boats and 56 tons medicines.
