Imran Khan to hold int'l telethon to raise funds for flood affectees

Imran Khan to hold int’l telethon to raise funds for flood affectees

ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – Former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan on Saturday announced to hold international telethon to raise funds for the flood affectees on Monday.

In his latest Tweet on Saturday, he said that he would do an international telethon to raise funds for the flood on Monday night.

The former PM said that Imran Tigers will be activated to volunteer for relief work.

Imran Khan went on to say that a committee under Sania Nishtar will be set up to identify and coordinate funds allocation based on needs.

— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) August 27, 2022

“Let me make clear that our movement for Haqeeqi Azadi will continue alongside our flood relief work,” he added.

Floods wreak havoc

It is pertinent to mention here that heavy rains have triggered flash floods and wreaked havoc across much of Pakistan since mid-June, leaving more than 1000 dead and about millions homeless.

Hundreds of thousands whose homes were swept away now live in tents, miles away from their inundated villages and towns, after being rescued by soldiers, local disaster workers and volunteers. In addition, almost 710,000 livestock are lost, and thousands of kilometres of roads and bridges destroyed. The floods are causing an earthquake-like destruction.

Pakistan government has declared devastating floods a “national emergency” as monsoon rains continue to lash the South Asian nation. More than 100 districts across four provinces have been hit by the floods, with Balochistan’s capital Quetta isolated from the rest of the country as many highways and bridges have been swept away by the deluge. More than half of the casualties are from Balochistan and southern Sindh province where 234 and 306 people died respectively amid record rains that have affected half a million houses across the country.

In Sindh province alone, the floods have killed more than 300 people. Along the narrow streets, people use whatever patch of dry ground is still available to pitch tents, as more rain is expected.

In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, where nearly 200 people have been killed, rescue efforts were in full swing, particularly in the worst-hit areas of Swat and Dir. According to the NDMA forecast, parts of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa might face “very high to an exceptionally high level of flooding” in the next few days. Balochistan also faces the threat of more flash flooding.

On Friday, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said 33 million people had been hit by the floods - around 15% of the population. The country has appealed for more international aid, and Mr Sharif has held a meeting with foreign ambassadors in Islamabad. He said the losses caused by floods this season were comparable to those during the floods of 2010-11.

The federal government will provide a grant of Rs 15 billion to the Sindh government to overcome the heavy losses of lives and infrastructure in the wake of the massive destruction caused by flash floods, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced.

Talking to reporters flanked by Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah and federal ministers including Bilawal Bhutto and Syed Khurshid Shah here at Sukkur Barrage, the prime minister said the situation demanded rising above politics and helping the flood victims overcome their miseries.

PM Sharif, who earlier took an aerial view of the inundated areas of Sukkur, Rohri, Khairpur, Faiz Ganj, Kot Diji, and Thari Mir Wah, expressed serious concern over the loss of lives and infrastructure caused by floods.

The prime minister said the grant by the federal government would help the Sindh government carry out relief and rehabilitation activities. He said the coalition government would make collective efforts to alleviate the sufferings of the flood victims, adding that it would leave no stone unturned to facilitate the people who faced unprecedented loss in the wake of floods.