No media coverage of NGOs participating in rescue operations
ISLAMABAD: Rescue and relief operations during ongoing floods by the local and international Non- Governmental Organizations (NGOs) have remained unnoticed by the electronic and print media as compared to 2010 floods.
Local NGOs, including Al-Khidmat Foundation, Edhi, Falah-e-Insaniyat Foundation, Muslim Hands, Khidmat-e-Khalq Foundation and others are currently playing a very active role in relief and rescue operations but have not received media coverage mainly due to ongoing protests by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PTI), a survey carried out by Business Recorder revealed.
A telephonic conversation with representatives of NGOs revealed that from Azad Kashmir to Sindh they are continuing to play a very critical role in relief and rescue operations.
Imran Jazib from District Okara while talking to this correspondent said that in his native area Okara and Sahiwal the Edhi Foundation, Al-Khidmat Foundation and other local NGOs along with army and district administration are engaged in saving the lives of thousands of people. These organizations are distributing food, setting up medical facilities and carrying out relief and rescue operations by using boats and other available means of transportation.
Shafqat Ali, a social worker, from Jhang district – one of the worst flood-hit areas in the country – while talking to Business Recorder said that in his area Pakistan Army, Al-Khidmat Foundation, Edhi Foundation, Falah Insaniyat Foundation (FIF) and other NGOs were playing a very positive role in relief and rescue efforts.
Al-Khidmat Foundation has distributed over 100,000 cooked food packets among the flood affectees in Punjab and distributed thousands of food packages and other relief items in Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan. In Sindh, Al-Khidmat Foundation has started relief and rescue efforts in flood-hit areas, the President of Al-Khidmat Foundation, Multan, Safdar Iqbal Hashmi, said to this correspondent.
“Rao Muhammad Zafar, President of Al-Khidmat Foundation, Punjab, himself was supervising the rescue and relief works. We are distributing cooked food, dry rations and clean water among flood affectees,” Hashmi said.
Falah-e-Insaniyat Foundation (FIF) Chairman Hafiz Abdur Rauf said the FIF was busy in relief activities in flood affected areas. More than 18,000 flood victims have been rescued in flood hit areas of Lahore, Islamabad, Jhelum, Gujrat, Mandi Bahauddin, Hafizabad, Wazirabad, Sialkot, Mirpur, Jhang, Chiniot, Narowal, and other areas. Furthermore, FIF has established 25 medical camps to provide medical treatment to flood-hit people.
FIF volunteers have also distributed food packets, tents, clean water and other necessary items in Sindh. More than 7,000 patients have been treated through FIF medical teams comprising doctors and paramedical staff.
According to National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) officials, 2014 floods, unlike 2010 floods, have not yet elicited any foreign multilateral or bilateral assistance. However according to the Asian Development Bank President during his recent visit to Pakistan relief and rehabilitation assistance will be forthcoming only after a needs’ assessment has first been compiled – a report which is currently underway and is expected to be completed by 26 September.
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