A flood-affected child sits under a charpai near by his family alongside flood waters in Jaffarabad, Pakistan, on Wednesday. AFP

The severe flooding has caused loss of lives and significant damage to infrastructure.

He said that the UAE was among the first countries to immediately respond and carry out its humanitarian mission as soon as the disaster occurred, with its teams being the fastest in reaching the affected areas, despite the field and logistic challenges.

The Pakistani diplomat said this during his meeting on Wednesday with Hamoud Abdullah Al Junaibi, Secretary-General of the Emirates Red Crescent (ERC), at the ERC headquarters, in the presence of a number of officials.

He also expressed his country’s appreciation of the efforts of the ERC, led by Sheikh Hamdan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ruler’s Representative in Al Dhafra Region and Chairman of the ERC, to relieve the suffering of the displaced and improve their living conditions.

Gondal affirmed that the ERC has proven that it is up to challenge and fit to bear its humanitarian responsibility, noting that it is currently taking an honorable stance towards the victims and has been exemplary in dealing with the disaster.

For his part, Al Junaibi shed light on the details of the ERC’s operations and its future relief plans, which will include several areas across health, living, and housing conditions, stressing the ERC’s keenness on enhancing its humanitarian efforts to help those affected. He affirmed that the ERC’s efforts are simply part of its duty towards the brotherly Pakistani people and a translation of the directives of the UAE’s leadership.

As Pakistan announced the “2022 Pakistan Floods Response Plan” jointly with the United Nations, to tackle the situation following the devastating rains, floods, and landslides, the country’s Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif has appealed to the international community for further support, saying “much more is required to be done.”

“Pakistan is facing the toughest time of its history,” he told foreign media persons at a press briefing telecast live on Zoom and attended by many journalists.

“We have exerted all possible human efforts, and are going to deal with this situation with the support of 220 million Pakistanis,” Shahbaz vowed, and added that the government had put all its resources to serve the people.

Officials in Pakistan raised concern on Wednesday over the spread of waterborne diseases among thousands of flood victims as waters from powerful monsoon rains began to recede in many parts of the country.

Some doctors said initially they were seeing mostly patients traumatised by the flooding, but are now treating people suffering from diarrohea, skin infections and other waterborne ailments in the country’s flood-hit areas. Many pregnant women living in flood-affected areas were also exposed to risks.

The development has forced the government to deploy additional medical teams, dispatch medicine and provide clean drinking water to survivors, many of whom are living in tents and makeshift homes.

WAM / AFP