Pakistan has suffered unimaginable loss of life, livelihoods, damage to infrastructure, and much more that will become apparent in the coming weeks and months, due to floods that have engulfed more than one-third of the country. Conservative estimates put the death toll at around 1400 while the economic loss stands between $10-15 billion, with both figures are likely to rise. Monsoon rains are an annual occurrence with varying intensity and while it can be argued that the country lacks the preparedness to anticipate and deal with more than conventional rainfall, the floods this year are of an intensity not witnessed in recent history, a combination of continuous heavy rainfall, cloud bursts, excessive glacial melt and flash flooding all at once that no one could have reasonably anticipated or prepared for. The increasingly extreme heat proceeded by the catastrophic monsoon season this year is a testament to how the worst effects of climate change are not years away but are rather already upon us.
Last week United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres rightly termed the world’s response so far as “very unfair”, appealing for additional massive financial support but the same could also be said about money raised domestically through citizens of Pakistan. So far Imran Khan, getting massive pledges from overseas Pakistanis through two telethons, has raised more than the government has been able to. Although the UN has launched a $160 million emergency relief plan and the WHO airlifted essential medical supplies as well, and indeed there is room for more but there is a limit to what can be raised externally. At some point it will become necessary for large businesses and high net worth individuals to step up and do their part. That is not to say that some have already donated generously, but much more needs to be done.
A good place to start would be for wealthy parliamentarians to cough up more than just one month’s salary. Much of the contributions have been collected by private NGOs and other outfits as people are generally skeptical about giving donations directly to the government out of fear that it might be misused or not used at all for the purpose it was intended for. This should be cause for introspection for the government, as to why people don’t trust them with their money donated for a good cause.
