Pakistan Floods: India Increases aid to $25million

[nitesh]

Sigh!

It is sad that people are dying there, but you are arguing if it is necessary for India to provide some help because you are concerned that it may not generate some good will.

Would you please elaborate what kind of goodwill you expect of Pakistani people, especially of those who may receive help from India?
Heeding and bowing to India or expressing their gratitude to India every chance they get, so that all the world will know that India is such a humanitarian and generous country, is that what you want?

In that case, if i was a Pakistani i would rather die than accept any conditional help from India, because that would be insuling myself. Not to mention, India in fact is very mean when it comes to charity.

Peopel like you preach humanity day by day, but in the end it turns out you are the one who urgently needs to be educated about humanity.

So please stop pretending to be a person full of love or something like that, people who really care about others will not consider what he/she can get back after he/she gives help.

Do you read the thread or you are here to start a baseless rhetoric here? read the very first post of this thread, I am attaching the link posted there. And don't try to derail the discussion with your useless rhetoric again. If you don't have anything useful to add here stay off:

http://www.thenews.com.pk/updates.asp?id=109276

 

[nimo_cn]

This is a cheap friend,Gilani probably spends more than this on his suits.

This is the way how Indian define friendship?

Well, I am glad India is not a friend of China, this is not the response i expect of a friend.

 

[nimo_cn]

Do you read the thread or you are here to start a baseless rhetoric here? read the very first post of this thread, I am attaching the link posted there. And don't try to derail the discussion with your useless rhetoric again. If you don't have anything useful to add here stay off:

http://www.thenews.com.pk/updates.asp?id=109276

I have read it, you wan to highlight this one "The authorities has held India responsible for flooding in River Chenab as they said India has released a big amount of water at Jammun Tavi place in River Chenab, sending the areas along river at high risk of being inundated and wiped out. "

So what?

The people who are suffering there are innocent, they need help. That is point, what is humanity, humanity is when people need help, you will give them help. no matter who they are and what they say.

BTW, the report says the authority holds India reponsible, not the flood victims.

 

[ajtr]

China is bigger bania than the bania themselves.With friends like china who needs the enemy....:happy_2:

 

[nitesh]

I have read it, you wan to highlight this one "The authorities has held India responsible for flooding in River Chenab as they said India has released a big amount of water at Jammun Tavi place in River Chenab, sending the areas along river at high risk of being inundated and wiped out. "

So what?

The people who are suffering there are innocent, they need help. That is point, what is humanity, humanity is when people need help, you will give them help. no matter who they are and what they say.

BTW, the report says the authority holds India reponsible, not the flood victims.

What does this post serve apart from running the same rhetoric? He is right in his saying that why we should provide any assistance when we are wrongly blamed for this tragedy. This baseless statement should have been avoided. If you disagree with that and if you can prove the statement right then debate or else don't start the victim saga again. There is absolutely no need for providing assistance to those who blame us needlessly for the tragedy.

 

[BunBunCake]

These people don't deserve aid from us. This report says > 50% Pakistanis hate the US. Why should we help them if they hate us?
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hjvmK9cW29gGlZx_FOhZV8Vsevdg

And if it's money, all of it's going to ISI, Taliban anyways. *cough* WikiLeaks *cough*.
If they can't appreciate our help there, let them rot I say! They're sending enough terrorists here already.

The US government shouldn't involve in this at all =)

@Congratulations to China for funding $1.5 million to ISI.

As much as this is heart breaking that so many people died, we can't trust them. How are these Talibans getting weapons to destroy Aircrafts?---IS*.

 

[ajtr]

NDMA — a national disaster​

The widespread devastation caused by high floods in Pakistan in a matter of less than a week presents horrid pictures of people, livestock and property being swept away by the surging waves fed by heavy downpours. Entire villages have been wiped out and infrastructure severely damaged in different parts of the country. Rising water flow in rivers has broken the more than 100-year old record as the flood wave moves towards Sindh. Malakand Division of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has been worst affected, closely followed by the districts of southern Punjab. In just five days, more than 1,300 people have lost their lives and the number is rapidly rising in the face of sluggish rescue and relief efforts and the meteorological department's forecast of more rains. The Balochistan and Punjab governments have declared the affected districts calamity-hit, while thousands of people have evacuated their homes in the katcha areas of Sindh in anticipation of the flooding of the Indus River. Pakistan is in the middle of the biggest flood disaster in its history. What is more disturbing is the grossly inadequate state response to this calamity, which has caused many preventable deaths. It seems that despite repeated disasters, state institutions have learnt little from experience.
Although the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) is making some moves to show a semblance of activity, it falls far short of the required response. NDMA officials claim that the mandate of the body is to enhance coordination among the institutions at provincial and federal levels. Reportedly, the budget allocated to the authority is used only to meet recurring expenses and there is no planning for training of staff. One wonders how can such a crucial institution expect to meet challenges if it does not even purchase equipment or machinery for rescue operations and is marred by lack of funds and trained staff. Why waste money on sustaining an organisation if it cannot maintain a state of preparedness for disasters?
Whether it was the earthquake, the cyclone in the coastal areas, landslides and subsequent formation of the lake in Attaabad or the Margalla plan crash, for the last many years the state's capacity to cope with disasters has steadily declined. There is a complete absence of sensitivity to the victims and vision to address their problems. The inadvertent but unmistakable message being conveyed to the public is that they are on their own and should be prepared to fend for themselves. Fortunately, the ordinary people have shown a remarkable sense of solidarity and resilience and have weathered one disaster after another. It is unfortunate that the disaster management infrastructure has failed to capitalise on the community spirit of the Pakistani people who would go out of their way to help those in trouble. Mobilising the public in an organised manner can contribute tremendously to any government-led rescue and relief initiatives.
The international response has come in haltingly; perhaps it could be accelerated through bilateral and multilateral arrangements as the enormity of the tragedy is being revealed to the world. However, Pakistan needs to build its capacity to deal with such disasters without being totally reliant on external aid. On the domestic front, while it is easy to take a swipe at the government sitting in opposition like Nawaz Sharif did by saying that the government should cut its expenses and spend the proceeds on relief to the public, the matter is not so simple. It is our collective failure. Nawaz Sharif should set an example by showing public spiritedness and contributing to relief efforts personally and from the platform of his party as well as the Punjab government.

 

[neo29]

I have read it, you wan to highlight this one "The authorities has held India responsible for flooding in River Chenab as they said India has released a big amount of water at Jammun Tavi place in River Chenab, sending the areas along river at high risk of being inundated and wiped out. "

So what?

The people who are suffering there are innocent, they need help. That is point, what is humanity, humanity is when people need help, you will give them help. no matter who they are and what they say.

BTW, the report says the authority holds India reponsible, not the flood victims.

Where the hell do you get your information from ??? Chinese intelligence or Xinhua news. The floods are caused due to monsoon rains.

For god sake start seeing some international news channel or read news on the net. Opps .. sorry they are banned in your country right !!!!

 

[ajtr]

New Storm Warnings in Pakistan Hinder Rescue​

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — Pakistan's government on Tuesday wrestled with a natural disaster that seemed to grow by the hour as new storm warnings threatened to deepen the worst floods in 80 years.
Estimates of the dead and displaced have been steadily growing since the flooding began last week. The United Nations Children's Fund, an aid organization usually known as Unicef, said three million people in the country had been affected by the floods, including a million children in need of emergency assistance. Unicef also said the floodwaters had claimed 1,400 lives.

The government issued new flood warnings on Tuesday as monsoon rains resumed, forcing the suspension of relief activities in several northwestern parts of the country and raising fears the high water levels would threaten Pakistan's third-biggest dam.

The latest warning about Warsak Dam, roughly 20 miles northwest of Peshawar, the provincial capital, spread panic among residents of the city and its neighboring areas.

"If needed, forced evacuation will be started," said Adnan Khan, a spokesman for the Disaster Management Authority of Khyber-Pakhtoonkhwa Province, according to The Associated Press. Khyber-Pakhtoonkhwa changed its name from the North-West Frontier Province this year.

Local news outlets reported that people had fled from three villages near the dam.

A special session of the federal cabinet will convene on Wednesday to discuss the flood situation, said Babar Awan, the country's law minister.

Several days after the disaster began, the government was still trying to chart out a strategy to provide relief to those affected and reach the international community for aid and assistance.

President Asif Ali Zardari, meanwhile, was scheduled to arrive in London on Tuesday, continuing an overseas trip that began in France on Monday.

On Monday, Prime Minister Yusaf Raza Gilani asked the government to approach the United Nations for help in preparing a call to the international community for emergency aid.

The United States already has pledged $10 million in relief; the United Nations has offered $10 million; and China has pledged $1.5 million, according to the Xinhua state news agency.

The latest spell of rains will compound the misery of survivors, who have complained bitterly about the slow pace of relief efforts. A temporary reprieve from the rains in the past two days had given some people opportunities to salvage their belongings from destroyed and collapsed houses.

"This spell of rain will continue for the next two to three days," Muhammad Hanif, an official at the Meteorological Department said. He said the rains would be less intense than last week.

Residents of Nowshera and Charsadda Districts in Khyber-Pakhtoonkhwa Province have staged rallies to protest against slow delivery of aid and relief goods.

Local news outlets reported that 150,000 people in Kot Addu, a southern Punjab town, risked displacement as floodwaters threatened to overrun that city and adjoining villages. Officials there asked people on Tuesday to close down the main markets and move to safer locations. Local news networks broadcast images of women and children huddled on trucks and buses as they moved out of the town.

Hundreds of villages in neighboring Dera Ghazi Khan were submerged on Monday night, due to flash floods.

In a statement, the United Nations refugee agency said some of the people displaced by the floods had already been fleeing earlier emergencies.

The agency, based in Geneva, said it was procuring 20,000 extra tents and was "working to reach at least 250,000 of the most vulnerable to provide shelter and other items including blankets, jerry cans, buckets, plastic sheets and kitchen sets."

"The majority of the flood-hit displaced are crammed into public buildings, including schools and colleges. Among them are thousands of Afghan refugees and displaced Pakistanis who have suddenly lost their homes for the second time."

It said more rain was expected during the monsoon month of August.

Kevin Drew contributed reporting from Hong Kong, and Alan Cowell from London.

 

[ajtr]

U.S. joins Pakistan relief efforts​

Posted By Josh Rogin Monday, August 2, 2010 - 1:42 PM Share

The U.S. government is mounting a significant response to the devastating floods in Pakistan, which have ravaged the rural Swat area and caused the worst flooding damage in 80 years.

The Obama administration pledged $10 million dollars in humanitarian assistance for Pakistan's own relief efforts and, as of Monday morning, 10 separate supply flights have flown 189,072 halal meals from U.S. stocks to Pakistan and another 51,840 meals are on the way today.

Gen. Duncan McNabb, the head of U.S. transportation command, arrived in Islamabad Monday on a prescheduled visit and his plane brought 12,288 more Halal meals. Seven U.S. helicopters are aiding in the relief effort and have delivered more than 11,000 pounds of supplies and rescued at least 733 people, according to U.S. officials.

On the rivers, the U.S. has deployed four Zodiac inflatable rescue boats that can provide water for about 10,000 people and seven prefabricated steel bridges to replace bridges that have been washed away.

According to the State Department's figures, by Monday morning there were 500,600 displaced persons in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPk) province and another 200,000 near Mianwali, Punjab. The KPk provincial government estimates that some 800 people have died in the floods, with another 358 injured and 129 lost or missing.

The World Food Program has sent out an emergency relief call for $30 million and the U.N. Refugee Agency (UNHCR) is also raising money to help flood victims. (You can donate $10 by texting SWAT to 50555. The money will go directly to Pakistani flood relief.)

"Every $10 helps provide tents and emergency aid to displaced families. When prompted, reply with YES to confirm your gift," a UNHCR press release said.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Sunday that the United States is working closely with the Pakistani government on relief efforts and that the U.S. would ensure that donated money reached those in greatest need.

"The Pakistani people are friends and partners, and the United States is standing with them as the tragic human toll mounts from flooding in northwest Pakistan. Our thoughts and prayers are with all those who have lost loved ones or have been displaced from their homes -- and we are taking action to help," she said.

 

[ajtr]

AfPak Behind the Lines: Pakistan's infrastructure​

Monday, August 2, 2010 - 12:52 PM Share

This week's AfPak Behind the Lines looks at Pakistan's natural disasters and infrastructure problems with Ahmad Rafay Alam.

1) Recent flooding across Pakistan has killed over 1,100 people and displaced hundreds of thousands. While seasonal flooding is standard in Pakistan, why is this particular flood season so bad? What infrastructure does Pakistan have in place to prevent or alleviate flooding?

Pakistan is already feeling the effects of climate change, and one of the effects climate change brings is unexpected precipitation events. Of course, it's not all climate change. Overdevelopment and the timber business, especially in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, have devastated watershed areas and make it much easier for water to flow down mountain and hillsides and create flash floods.

I don't know of Pakistan having any infrastructure to "prevent or alleviate" flooding. There are laws prohibiting the felling of trees for the timber industry, but they operate only within defined forest areas. We're not really doing anything about overdevelopment and the destruction of forest cover and watershed areas, so in the future we are going to see more of these tragic natural disasters.

2) Pakistan's ongoing water crisis seems to be getting worse, with the Washington Post reporting recently that "Water availability per person in Pakistan has fallen from about 5,000 cubic meters (175,000 cubic feet) in 1947, when the country was founded, to around 1,000 cubic meters (35,000 cubic feet) today." What are the major factors influencing the decrease in available water, and what actions has the state taken to confront the issue?

Someone once said that there are lies, damn lies and statistics. Pakistan's water availability has been reduced, but not necessarily because our water resources have dwindled. Our water resources are the same, more or less, as they were ten years ago. What's changed is our population. As our population has increased, the per capita water availability has fallen. Also keep in mind that in places like Israel or Australia, where the per-capita water availability is far, far lower than in Pakistan, crop yields are higher, per acre, than in Pakistan.

This is not to say Pakistan isn't facing a water crisis. It is. But the crisis is one of water management. We have almost no water laws in Pakistan. Other than one ordinance passed in 1980 and pertaining to Baluchistan, we have no groundwater laws or regulations. We have no prohibitions on the consumption of water, either for domestic purposes or irrigation purposes. We also have no realistic system of pricing water. All this means that water is used wastefully and without regard to its growing scarcity.

Most of the rhetoric around water in Pakistan falls either into a discussion on the Indus Water Treaty (IWT) of 1960 or the inter-provincial Water Apportionment Accord of 1991. Both are largely related to water used for agricultural purposes (the IWT also talks about hydropower generation). As a result, most of the talk is about increasing water resources by investing in new infrastructure storage and run-of-the-river dams. There's almost no talk of water management and water conservation. It really is bizarre. For example, the city of Islamabad, because of overdevelopment, has more or less poisoned two of its main water resources. There's a real shortage of water, and plans are being drawn up to dig a canal from Ghazi Barotha, which is about 60 kilometers away.

Meanwhile, not a word about not watering your lawn with drinking water, or cleaning your car with drinking water. Irrigation practices in some areas are also very water intensive and need to be updated and made more water efficient.

3) There is still a long-term risk of the artificial lake created by a landslide in the Hunza valley breaking and flooding the area below it. What efforts is the Pakistani government making to deal with this possibility, and how well-equipped is the Pakistani government or Army for handling natural disasters of this sort?

The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has a plan in the event that the Attabad dam bursts its banks. This is not to say it's fool-proof. We are a developing country with all the administrative and bureaucratic inefficiencies that come with that status. Of course, it's next to impossible to say what will happen if such an event occurred. Some people quote the example of a landslide dam bursting its banks in the 19th century and causing disaster downstream and as far as Attock. But who can say what a dam-burst event would do now. I do know the NDMA has evacuated some villages downstream and has advised villagers further downstream what to do in case of a flood emergency.

4) Electricity shortages are another endemic problem in Pakistan, especially in major cities like Karachi, where in April residents reported going hours each day without power and the local power company even shut off the lights at Karachi's main public hospital. Why does the country suffer such increasingly serious shortages? What role, if any, do you expect the recently-announced $7.5 billion in aid from the United States to play in upgrading Pakistan's infrastructure?

Pakistan suffers energy shortages because demand has outstripped supply, and our energy infrastructure (the grid system) is old and extremely inefficient. Also, I understand that the "circular debt" - which relates in some manner to how the industry is financed - is also the cause of some inefficiency. I'd say more about the circular debt, but I can't say I've figured out the problem yet. Also, we do nothing -- nothing at all -- about energy conservation.

I understand the Kerry Lugar money is going to 1) reconstruction and rehabilitation of some districts in Khyber-Pakthunkhwa; and 2) irrigation works in some districts in south Punjab. But I do know that the US has been discussing energy options with the Government and is working on projects related to energy conservation. There are some red-herrings here. Enhancing the energy capacity of Pakistan is all well and good, but what's the point of adding megawatts when the line losses in the transmission and distribution system (inefficiencies that lead to lost energy) are as high as 24 percent. Also, some proposals (like burning sugar cane byproducts for energy) only serve already well-entrenched interests (the sugar industry and its associated sugar barons).


Ahmad Rafay Alam is an environmental lawyer based in Lahore. He is on the faculty of the Lahore University of Management Sciences and Punjab University and is a columnist for the News and Express Tribune on environment and urban planning issues.

 

[LETHALFORCE]

when Blankets were rushed in 1995 for the Earthquake victims in Pakistan, the Pakistani government removed the made in India Labels, the goodwill gesture was not recognized by the public

 

[arya]

well we wish we can help but the same condition is here we also have flood in india in many states lots of lots loss is here also

what we can do

 

[ejazr]

US announces $10 million for flood-relief efforts

ISLAMABAD: The US announced $10 million on Sunday in humanitarian assistance for the flood relief efforts in the country.

Terming it an initial contribution, Washington said it was prepared to give more funds for the relief efforts. US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said they will work closely with the government of Pakistan to ensure aid reaches those people who need it most.

Early on Sunday, a US Air Force C-130 and a C-17 transport aircraft flew into Pakistan Air Force Base Chaklala, Rawalpindi, and delivered about 50,000 halal meal pallets, in response to a request by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA). Approximately 62,000 more pallets from US supply depots in the region were to be delivered later in the day, with more coming over the next few days. NDMA Director Hassan Zulfiqar said, "Almost one million people have been affected and thousands of people are marooned in flooded areas. They need immediate assistance, especially food and medicines". The US shipment was the first international assistance for the flood-affected people. "As far as foreign assistance is concerned, this is the first flight," Zulfiqar said.

The United States is rushing helicopters, boats, temporary bridges, water units and other supplies as part of an initial 10-million-dollar aid pledge. A statement from US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said, "The Pakistani people are friends and partners, and the United States is standing with them as the tragic human toll mounts from flooding in northwest Pakistan". She added the US embassy in Islamabad is coordinating closely with Pakistani authorities to support rescue and relief efforts, and that the US will work closely with the government of Pakistan to ensure that aid reaches those people who need it most. staff report/agencies

 

[ajtr]

 

[ajtr]

when Blankets were rushed in 1995 for the Earthquake victims in Pakistan, the Pakistani government removed the made in India Labels, the goodwill gesture was not recognized by the public

They also used to remove made in india label for goods meant for afghanistan and indian Aid workers there in afghanistan used to paste made in india label once the goods were in afghanistan.Pakistanis think they are clever but indians always made fool of them.....:happy_2:

 

[Ray]

It is good of China to assist Pakistan in its time of catastrophe and grief.

China, herself, is under floods and must help herself too!

India should extend help to the victims of floods in what appears unfortunate China.

 

[Ray]

when Blankets were rushed in 1995 for the Earthquake victims in Pakistan, the Pakistani government removed the made in India Labels, the goodwill gesture was not recognized by the public

India should with indelible ink print that it is goodwill from India.

Pakistan can then only have to tear the blankets in tatters to remove it and have its population shivering and wet!

 

[Yusuf]

The country Pakistanis curse the most is sending 10 million in aid and the one it sucks up to is sending a paltry 1.48 million. Pakistanis still dont get it.

 

[ajtr]

Rising toll​

Tuesday, August 03, 2010
The flood disaster threatens to worsen. Initial reports of villages being submerged in Sindh had already begun coming in by Monday. The situation could worsen if the fresh spell of rains forecast by the Met Office hit us over the coming few days. While the Sindh irrigation minister has stated that barrages in the province can cope with the 900,000 cusecs of water expected to stream into them as the flood reaches Sindh, villagers in the province are less confident. Many have refused point blank to leave homes located close to rivers on the basis that camps set up by the government in schools and at other places are inadequate and that the needs of displaced people are rarely cared for at them. Even as things stand now, around 1,400 people have lost their lives as a result of the flooding. In the Shangla and Swat and districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the worst-hit area, thousands of people remain stranded on rooftops unable to access food or water. Rescue efforts have been impeded by the washing away of roads and dozens of bridges.

The situation is monstrously difficult given the circumstances that prevail. Humanitarian agencies have conceded that it is proving extremely hard to reach the affected people. Over 150,000 families are reported by the UN to be in need of help in KP alone. However, the difficulty of access and other similar concerns should not prevent authorities from doing all that is possible to bring in much needed relief. This is what people expect from governments. The failures seen so far even in the Peshawar area, where a protest was staged by some 300 flood victims over the poor arrangements at camps set up for them, is already generating a great deal of disquiet. Further disillusionment with the government is not something we can afford given the problems we already face as a result of it. It is essential then that the rescue effort move into top gear. Right now rescue is a priority. But in the future a great deal more will be needed to manage the outbreak of disease, to rebuild destroyed housing and to rehabilitate people who have lost livelihoods as a result of their lands being washed away by the worst flood here in living memory.