United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) officials have drawn immediate attention of the authorities as well as international bodies towards the plight of more than one million displaced persons in Balochistan. The victims in dire need of help also include those 600,000 people who had fled floodwaters in Sindh. In addition, there are some 700,000 affected people, particularly in the worst hit divisions of Nasirabad and Sibbi, staying near their damaged homes.
UNHCR Pakistan Represen-tative, Mengesha Kebede said the situation in remote Balochistan has been largely overlooked as attention followed flow of Indus River south, thus ignoring the mounting crisis to the west. Kebede said UNHCR has been distributing tents and other shelter assistance in Balochistan since floods first hit on July 22, and is scaling up assistance and advice to government officials for management and co-ordination in the camps.
He added that there are some 28 camps set up in the province but conditions are a major concern. "We are focusing on identifying and improving the most critical issues in relation to camp layout, hygiene and health conditions". "There are almost two million people affected by floods in Balochistan", he said, saying there was an urgent need to work in the areas of sanitation, shelters, food, healthcare that are directly linked with the existence of flood sufferers pertaining to all age groups. "By any definition, it is a humanitarian tragedy in Balochistan. We need to scale up our activities in the province, if not, I think we would be heading towards a major humanitarian disaster," cautioned UNHCR representative.