This year, unlike recent years, devastating monsoon floods gave a stark reminder that Pakistan is bearing consequences of climate emergency. Increased casualty rate, economic losses, and damaged to infrastructure and livelihood causing a huge impact on vulnerable population calls for an immediate yet coordinated humanitarian relief and response. Under the ambit of Humanitarian Coordination, we as Pakistan Humanitarian Forum (PHF) and National Humanitarian Network (NHN) representing INGOs and NNGOs re-affirm our commitment for a resilient Pakistan. For these facilitation to access disaster affected area could help extend timely life saving and critical support to the people in need. We hope a joint response with the government including disaster management authorities will lead to a clear commitment in providing relief assistance to at-risk communities.
The monsoon season continues to affect several provinces of Pakistan, causing floods, landslides, and severe weather-related incidents, resulting in an increasing scale of humanitarian impact. Pakistan has received 60% of total normal monsoon rainfall in just three weeks since the start of the monsoon season and it projected to increase with intense rainfall in coming days. The gaps to provide life saving and critical support can be effectively filled with humanitarian funding channeled through INGOs/NNGOs having operational capacity and on ground presence across flood affected areas in Pakistan. The INGOs and the NNGOs have quickly started the response. However, the lack of an emergency appeal or request for assistance can be an impediment to scale up the flood response.
It is reassured that members of PHF and NHN are equally providing relief operation in Balochistan, Sindh, KP, Punjab, Northern Areas, AJK and addressing Food & CASH, Shelter, WASH, Health and fodder support to particular flood affected population and are mobilized to conduct and support a comprehensive joint need assessment in affected areas. The member organizations of PHF and NHN are highly capable to respond in the current flood situation. They have already reached and supported more than 20,000 affected families across Pakistan and can do more if are given the immediate access and funding.
They do have the available technical resources and capacity to provide relief support and in place rehabilitation mechanism in flood affected areas of Pakistan.
It is critical to allow and facilitate INGOs and NNGOs to work with the same capacities and flexibilities in alleviating suffering of at risk communities including women, children and elderly.
Considering the worsening developing situation of flood, the forums and their member organization are present on ground to safeguard humanitarian principles for delivering assistance to people at risk as a collective effort to support the efforts of Government of Pakistan to handle the current emergency situation at the earliest.
