ISLAMABAD: As part of the aid package announced by the United Kingdom, relief items worth two million pounds for the most vulnerable people affected by the devastating floods have arrived at Karachi Port from Dubai, the British High Commission announced on Wednesday.

The relief items include emergency shelters for up to 194,300 people, and blankets and mats for up to 10,000 people. The emergency shelters include coverage and fixing kits, poles and peg sets.

The UK will also provide water filters and hygiene supplies for 32,495 people to mitigate health risks. The first shipment of 19 containers arrived at the Karachi port on Tuesday with another 26 scheduled to follow in the coming days and weeks.

The UAE is the strategic hub for the UK aid and holds approximately 80 per cent of the UK’s global aid supplies. From the UAE, emergency relief items can be moved quickly to many disaster hotspots due to its prime location.

The aid package has arrived at Karachi port from UAE

To date, the UK has committed a total of £16.5m pounds to support flood relief efforts and the British public have donated over £25m via the Disasters Emergency Committee’s Pakistan Appeal.

This appeal has notably been supported by the England men’s cricket team, who are currently touring Pakistan for the T20s, with the team making a personal donation, which was then matched by the England Cricket Board.

In addition, earlier this month a UK Royal Air Force flight delivered eight boats and 10 portable generators gifted in kind by the UK’s ministry of defence for use in flood relief operations.

Meanwhile, British Airways and Virgin Atlantic are also offering free relief shipments in their cargo.

British Deputy High Commissioner at Karachi Sarah Mooney said that the UK aid shipment is the first of multiple consignments addressing the immediate needs of the people of Pakistan affected by the devastating floods. The UK will continue to provide assistance both in cash and in kind to ensure that communities not only rebuild but are also resilient to future calamities, she said.

The initial UK aid of £1.55m is being spent to provide critical life-saving assistance in Sindh (£900,000) and Balochistan (£650,000).

In Sindh, the UK financed aid is reaching people of Shaheed Benazirabad, Mirpurkhas, Sanghar, and Jacobabad. This aid aims to support 7,600 households (approximately 63,200 persons) with time-critical and life-saving assistance through: access to flexible multi-purpose cash assistance, ensuring their increased access to primary health care and improved hygiene services.

The assistance integrates particular focus on vulnerable population including children, women and girls, elderly people and people with disabilities.

Published in Dawn, September 29th, 2022