ISLAMABAD: A US Congressional delegation on Monday reaffirmed the United States’ commitment to continue support to Pakistan in recovering from the devastation caused by floods in the country.
The delegation members of the US Congress led by Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee were speaking to the official media after their meeting with Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari at the Foreign Office.
Sheila Jackson said as the United States stands in solidarity with Pakistan in this difficult time, adding that the US has already announced a $30million assistance for flood-affected people in Pakistan. She said that the US will provide more assistance in the coming few days.
She added that clinics will be set up in flood-affected areas to provide medical aid to the flood victims. “As we take back the message to the United States after reviewing the entire flood situation here, we are excited to see that our friendship with Pakistan is a solid friendship,” she said. She also expressed confidence that Pakistan will recover from the disaster.
Congressman Thomas Suozzi, another member of the visiting US delegation, said the American government and its people have demonstrated through its assistance in this time that Pakistan is an important place and “we want to help its people who are suffering right now.”
During this visit, he added that they have seen with their own eyes that people are suffering. “We are taking back the message to inform our colleagues and partners in the United States about the ground situation here,” he added.
Speaking on the occasion, Bilawal expressed gratitude to the international community for extending help to Pakistan in this critical time.
“This is the first delegation that has visited the flood hit areas in the country and it means a lot to us, as they will create awareness back in their country regarding the situation in Pakistan which they have seen…the US cooperation in this difficult time has once again proved our friendship,” he added.
He said it is an opportunity for the international community to realize that it must join hands to tackle the challenges of the climate change.
The US Congressional delegation led by Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee called on Foreign Minister Bilawal, according to a statement of the Foreign Office. The delegation included Congressman Thomas Souzzi and Congressman Al Green. The delegation is visiting Pakistan from 4-6 September 2022.
It added that the foreign minister appreciated the delegation’s visit to Pakistan at this time when super floods had ravaged the country. He underscored that Pakistan has undergone floods of historic proportions. More than 1,300 lives have been lost; over 33 million people are affected; over four million acres of crops have been washed away; and close to a million livestock have perished, the Foreign Minister further informed the visiting delegation.
The foreign minister said that, currently, the government was fully engaged in the rescue and relief efforts. He emphasized that rehabilitation of the millions impacted and reconstruction of critical infrastructure required enormous resources which was a huge challenge.
He underlined that despite being one of the lowest emitters of carbon emissions, Pakistan was the most adversely impacted by climate change. He stressed that the developed countries must step up their climate efforts, including towards the provision of predictable climate finance for mitigating the adverse impacts of climate change in the developing world.
The foreign minister hoped that the international community would recognise the enormity of challenge faced by Pakistan and assist Pakistan in its rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts. The Foreign Minister stressed that Pakistan was neither the first nor the last country to face a climate catastrophe and expressed the need to engage on a common climate agenda and called for climate justice at the global level.
According to the statement, Congresswoman Lee underscored that she was overwhelmed by the devastation caused by floods and maintained that her delegation, having assessed the on-ground situation, will support the efforts of the US Congress and the US Administration to assist Pakistan in these trying times.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2022
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