ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday expressed serious concern about the devastation caused by the recent floods across Pakistan, vowing that provision of humanitarian relief to the affected people was a high priority of his government.

The prime minister, in a meeting with UN Resident Coordinator Julien Harneis, expressed Pakistan’s firm commitment to the purposes and principles of the UN Charter.

According to the Prime Minister Office, various areas of the UN’s work and cooperation with Pakistan were discussed during the meeting, including the Sustainable Deve­lopment Cooperation Framework, flood relief, food security, and ecosystem restoration.

PM Sharif said Pakistan had been contributing actively to the UN work, especially in the areas of peacekeeping, humanitarian action, climate change, and international cooperation for sustainable development.

US announces financial assistance for flood victims

The UN official briefed the PM on the ongoing activities of the global body in Pakistan, including in the areas of sustainable development, humanitarian assistance, environmental protection, food security, and climate change.

He also reiterated the UN’s continued support to Pakistan in its ongoing endeavors for a resilient recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic and sustainable development.

Mr Harneis has been working as the UN resident coordinator in Pak­istan since January 2020.

Financial assistance: The US announced financial assistance for flood victims. In a tweet on Wednesday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said: “We stand by Pakistan in hard times and offer our support to flood victims. In addition to $100,000 in immediate relief, the U.S. announced $1 million to build resilience against natural disasters, and we continue to work together to mitigate future impacts of the climate crisis.”

Earlier, Ambassador Donald Blome said the “United States stands with communities in Pakistan recovering from the devastation caused by severe flooding. I issued a declaration of humanitarian need, and in response, @USAID_Pakistan will provide $100,000 to affected populations”. He said the funding will help purchase urgent supplies to save lives and reduce suffering among the most vulnerable affected communities.

PM meets martyr’s family: Later, Prime Minister Sharif visited the family of the late Commander 12 Corps Lt Gen Sarfraz Ali, who was martyred in a helicopter crash rece­ntly in Lasbela district of Baloch­istan, and expressed condolences.

Defence Minister Khawaja Asif and Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb accompanied the prime minister.

The premier offered prayers for the departed soul and offered condolences to the bereaved family.

“Our martyrs are our pride. The soldiers and officers of the Pakistan armed forces never hesitated to sacrifice their lives to safeguard their motherland,” he was quoted as saying.

Published in Dawn, August 18th, 2022