Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal has stated that federal and provincial governments, armed forces and other institutions collectively and successfully tackled the immediate challenge posed by the recent devastating floods. He stated that a framework has been prepared to make Pakistan climate resilient country. Speaking at the National Flood Response Center in Islamabad on Monday, he said the framework will also be presented to the international community for their support. The Minister pointed out that the federal and provincial governments, armed forces and other institutions collectively and successfully tackled the immediate challenge posed by the recent devastating floods.

As a result of this synergy, we managed to mitigate the impact of the disaster. Ahsan Iqbal said this platform of National Flood Response Center is being closed down after successfully completing the mission of emergency response. He said the process of rehabilitation and reconstruction will be carried out under a new format and institutionalized setting to build a climate resilient and adaptable infrastructure. The Minister for Planning pointed out that the floods inflicted a damage of over thirty billion dollars which is ten percent of the GDP. He said Balochistan and Sindh provinces witnessed the worst devastation.

He urged the philanthropists to continue to help the flood victims till their complete rehabilitation. Ahsan Iqbal said Pakistan is one of the most vulnerable countries to climate change and help is being sought from the international community to cope with this challenge. He said the establishment of loss and damage fund at the Climate Summit in Sharm Al Sheikh is a big triumph as Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and leaders of other developing nations strongly presented their case.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan-INP