A call for help to the International community – PAKISTAN IN DIRE NEED

Is it time to criticize, or is it time to extend love to the disaster-stricken Pakistanis?

About one-quarter of the entire Pakistan is covered with flood caused by the monsoon rains that are just halfway through. 71 districts were hit, vanishing 720,000 dwellings and killing 1,500 Pakistanis. 20 million homeless victims were forced to huddle in sludgy camps and overcrowded public buildings. Others are spending nights under no cover, sleeping beside their sheep, cows and goats.

There’s no need to set foot to the Pakistani soil to see the real situation. News videos are telling the whole story. The country is indeed going through floods that the world had never seen in recent memory. The disaster is said to be worse than the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami and the 2005 Pakistan quake combined. Pakistanis are in dire need of help from the international community.

UN Chief Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon, in his visit to the Pakistan, seeing the real state of the victims, called for help. He encouraged the international community to send strong and urgent aid to bring relief on the ground. (Ban photo from CNN)

It is estimated that the country would need $460 million aid in order to resolve problems resulting from the floods. As of now, pledges reached $200 to $300 million, but are nowhere near enough based on what is seen. As the rains continue, better days are unlikely expected to come soon. Subsequently, the number of victims will rise, and the needs for aid will increase as well.
Sadly, present help coming from locally and from some international groups is barely felt. Speculations seem to tell this is due to the reputation and perception that the Pakistani government is corrupt, and that the 15,000 death toll is relatively low compared to other disasters. However, holding back aid could mean death of many victims due to unsanitary and aggravated conditions.

The most common problem is cholera, a treatable but fatal disease without the necessary medicine as well as clean food and water supplies. In the coming weeks, the country will need people in lab coats for closer medical aid as well. As of now, Pakistan has no means of resolving even this particular problem. As noted by Ban, the courage, resilience and vibrancy of Pakistanis will need international aid to be able to pull them altogether across this disaster.

At the wake of such heart-wrenching situation, may more people show love to fellowmen than criticize the country for anything it has caused against international peace. Your efforts could mean better condition, not just for the flood victims, but also for solidarity between nations.