A United Nations Development Programme base camp has been set up in Badin and a team from the World Food Programme is expected to arrive in a few days.
After dilly-dallying for about a month and turning a deaf ear to pleas, including from the National Assembly Speaker Dr Fehmida Mirza, the economic affairs division of Pakistan wrote a letter to the United Nations on September 6 - more than three weeks after Badin, Tharparker and Mirpurkhas were declared calamity hit - requesting relief.
“We will be working in the most-affected districts of Sindh,” said Dr Salman Safdar, the humanitarian affairs coordinator for the UN.
The Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund is the only humanitarian organisation to have started relief work before the UN. But its work has been limited to Badin only, with the help of Badin Rural Development Society, National Rural Support Programme and Health and Nutrition Development Society. “Our partners are providing ration packets, hygiene kits and mobile medical services,” said Dr Safdar. “In the latter phase, we will launch early recovery and rehabilitation support programmes,” he added.
According to the Inter-Servies Public Relations, the Pakistan Army rescued over 4,000 people from marooned areas of Badin, Tando Muhammad Khan and Mirpurkhas on Thursday. Sanghar and Tharparker districts also requested the army’s help for evacuations.
The ISPR said that the army has reinforced deployment in rain-affected areas and more life jackets, long boots and machinery is being dispatched for the men working there.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 9th, 2011.
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R/salama safder. i atended the meeting on 13.9.2011 at dco office badin when you were briefing about call for UN.. i raised a question about official distribution of ration to political party workers,, so it was not distrubuted fairly,,,though AGA WASIF Contrdicted the true news,,,,again i rendrered my vulunteer services to u...
DR MUNEER BHURGRI PH;03452020840 03312020840R/dr salaman safder. i run my chairity ''muneerwelfare trust''[regd],,,from this trust i run two ambulnces services to remote area of badin, a worst hit area of moonsoon 2011,,my ambulances runs from NINDO SHAHER and PANGRIO,,,they r giving services to hundreds of needy persons...as my abulances are 800cc so can not help the needy persons to carry them as roads are submerged under water,,,every one can go nindo shaher to see my ambulance service,,,in pangrio it is trapped in SETH RAHIMS RICE FACTORY because a heavy water surrounded it,,,,i have my volunteers ..so can united nation can provide me 4 by4 ambulances for short time ..so my chairity trust can work easily,,, dr muneer bhurgri ph;; 03452020840 03312020840
Look here and not towards Kashmir ,Set your priorities now as we have done to perish terrorism ,
@Balma: Well said !! But sadly that understanding, requires Education !!! Which sadly has not been priority for any Govt of the Nation over past two decades at least, hence the current young generation of Radicalised Islamists, thanks to Saudi Finance and mushrooming of Madrassas rather than normal schools!!!!!! A serious flaw on the rulers of Pakistan over last two decades, and the outcome is not very bright and neither is the future !!!!
If Pakistanis stop reproducing like rabbits, we won't need any foreign aid, and will have enough resoruces for everyone including bijli and paani.
The article title -"Finally - international aid agencies arrive in Badin" implies the aid agencies have been dragging there feet - but I recall it has been less than 48 hours since the Pakistani govt asked for UN assistance. If so - it's the govt that dragged it's feet and the article might be more accurate if it says "Quick response by aid agency after govt dragged it's feet".
Shows how capable is this Nuclear Armed Nation, to deal with its own problems. They can not even provide basic support let alone provide any assistance to its people !!! Without International Aid !!!
why has all the aid just been given to badin? what about the people suffering in the remaining districts? the aid needs to be more mobilized.
People of Badin r in trouble now....its need of time