ISLAMABAD: Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal said on Friday that the government has disbursed $ 286 million among 2.7 million families in flood-affected areas.
Sharing details of Post Disaster Needs Assessment Report launched in Islamabad along with Minister for Climate Change Sherry Rehman, he said that Pakistan needs $ 16 billion for reconstruction and rehabilitation. He said that 1730 people have died and over 33 million have been affected by the floods in the country.
He said Pakistan has suffered a triple tragedy which were struggling economy, climate disaster and human tragedy. He said sufferings of the people in flood-hit areas are heart wrenching.
Ahsan Iqbal said looming food crises and chilling winter are posing significant challenges for people in flood-affected areas. He said along with the fast melting glaciers this year monsoon rain fall was about 400 to 700 percent above average which swamped the arid areas.
He said that 80 percent of the greenhouse gas emissions are done by G20 countries. He said G20 countries will have to bear the expenses for climate adaptation, emergency reaction and rehabilitation.
He asked the rich nations to fulfil their commitment made at the UN climate conference in 2009 to contribute $ 100 billion a year in climate related financing for the poor nations.
The Minister said affluent nations must also grant major debt swaps to developing countries badly hit by climate change to create fiscal space for developing their climate resistant infrastructure.
Ahsan Iqbal also requested the International Monetary Fund (IMF) that to allow Pakistan for utilizing its development funds for disaster recovery, particularly the condition of spending at least 40% of PSDP only in last quarter of financial year which is unwarranted under current circumstances. He said it must be revised, urging the IMF to review it.
Minister for Climate Change Sherry Rehman said it is moral responsibility of the world to help Pakistan deal with the unprecedented climate disaster. She said the international community needs to fulfil its commitments which it had been making since 2009 regarding climate change.
The Federal Minister for Climate Change said that Pakistan has geared up its efforts to make the case for climate justice at the upcoming multilateral climate forum COP27 in Egypt.
“Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will address the head of states during the world leaders’ summit. He will also co-chair a high-level roundtable with the Prime Minister of Norway on the theme of Climate Change and the sustainability of vulnerable communities,” said the Minister. Pakistan will definitely take up this in upcoming COP27 pressing the world community for climate justice as Pakistan badly needed it,” she added.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2022
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