KARACHI: Chinese Counsel General in Karachi, Li Bijian on Wednesday handed over relief goods donated by Chinese companies working in Pakistan for flood-affected people to Sindh Minister for Local Government Syed Nasir Hussain Shah.
The relief goods donated by Hangzhou, Chang Yi Kange and Gansu construction consisted of 2,400 ration bags, mosquito nets and repellent and other essential commodities. The relief items would be provided to flood affected people of Sanghar, Shaheed Benazirabad and Naushero Feroze districts.
Speaking on the occasion, the Chinese envoy said that it was time to act immediately and China was ready to join hands with the people of Pakistan affected by torrential rains and floods. He commended the Chinese companies working in Karachi were contributing to relief activities and said that it demonstrated their solidarity with flood victims in the difficult times.
He urged the international community to extend maximum possible assistance to Pakistan for rescue, relief and rehabilitation of flood affected population of Pakistan.
Sindh LG Minister Syed Nasir Hussain Shah thanked the Chinese government for helping the flood-affected people and said that with the cooperation of the Sindh Solid Waste Management Board and Chinese companies, relief items were sent to citizens in the flood-affected areas of Sindh.
All over Pakistan, property and livestock have been washed away, houses have collapsed and more than ten million people have been affected in Sindh alone, he said adding that on the appeal of Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari pledges of $ 1.6 billion were made and delegations from different countries visited the affected areas while a high level delegation of the United Nations (UN) was due to visit the next day.
He said that Sindh government was utilizing all resources for flood victims and international aid was pouring in while rescue and relief work continued and medical camps were also being set up but more help was needed to deal with the catastrophic situation.
Nasir Hussain Shah said that Sindh government has provided 127,000 tents for affected population but there was an urgent need of two million tents for providing shelter to displaced people in the province.
He anticipated that flood water would take two months to recede from the affected areas and the situation would create enormous problems not only for affected population but it would also negatively affect the food security in the province due to damage to standing crops and delay in sowing of wheat and other Karif crops.
Responding to a query Nasir Sah informed that 19,000 people from affected areas had come to Karachi and government had set up relief camps to shelter them where they were being provided food, medical and other facilities.
Managing Director Sindh Solid Waste Management Board, Zubair Ahmad Channa briefed that Chang Yi Kange Company will provide goods in Sanghar District, Hangzhou Company in Nowshahrufiroz District and Gansu Construction in Shaheed Benazirabad District.
These goods will be distributed among the flood victims through concerned deputy commissioner of each district in a transparent manner, he added.
