Malik Amjad Noon, Chairman Prime Minister's Inspection Comm-ission (PMIC) has termed the current flood as the biggest national calamity, saying the government is utilising all possible resources for relief and rehabilitation of flood affectees.
Over 80 helicopters, 650 boats and over 350,000 personnel were being used in the rescue operations in flood-hit areas, Noon said while talking to reporters, here on Tuesday.
He said millions were rendered homeless due to heavy floods in 73 affected districts of the country, adding that it was a test for the entire nation to show complete unity in relief and rehabilitation of the affected people. He urged philanthropists and well-off people of Pakistan to come forward to support the victims of the flood, which has affected almost all the provinces, Gilgit-Baltistan and AJK. "It is a national calamity which demands from us to come forward with all available resources to help our affected brethren", he said.
PMIC chairman said international community has also supported Pakistan in this hour of need, but this support was not at par with the requirements of the country. Flood has damaged huge area of the country, rendered about 15 million people homeless and killed about 1200 people, besides causing huge loss to agriculture and livestock, he revealed.
Gravity of the situation is worse than that of October 2005 earthquake, but the response of the world is far less than 2005. "At the time of earthquake, more than 22 planes of relief goods were arriving in Pakistan per day while at present, only two planes have arrived here yet", he maintained. Noon called upon the international community to come forward to help the people of Pakistan in this hour of need.