After the floods, Pakistan needs reparations, not charity
Sep 5, 2022
At the time of writing, more than one-third of Pakistan is under water. Flash floods, generated by abnormal monsoon rains have so far claimed the lives of 1350 people. One million residential buildings are totally or partially damaged, leaving more than 50 million people displaced from their homes.
Crucially, the flood is expected to add $10 billion worth of damage to an already teetering economy. More than 793,900 livestock have died, and families across Pakistan of a critical source of sustenance and livelihood. , Around two million acres of crops and orchards have been impacted.
Continue reading at newint.org
Pakistan floods: Disaster to cost more than $10bn, minister says
Aug 30, 2022
Pakistan’s planning minister says early estimates show the devastating floods that hit the country have caused at least $10bn (£8.5bn) of damage.
His comment comes as another government minister said that one-third of the South Asian nation has been submerged.
Separately on Monday, Pakistan received a $1.1bn bailout from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
That money is aimed to help the cash-strapped economy avoid defaulting on its debts.
Continue reading at www.bbc.com
The Floods Devastating Pakistan Are More Than a Natural Disaster
- By Ammar Ali Jan
Sep. 3, 2022
A decade since the last mega-floods that hit Pakistan in 2010, the country is once again reeling from devastation on an unimaginable scale. Monsoon rains and melting glaciers have combined to displace at least 35 million people from their homes while over a thousand people are already reported dead. It is estimated that Pakistan is losing at least $10 billion due to the widespread destruction caused by the floods. Moreover, agriculture and livestock has been destroyed on a massive scale, triggering fears of severe food shortages in the coming months.
Both locally and internationally, remarkably little media coverage was given to the floods that began hitting Balochistan province in July. Instead, public discussion was dominated by the power struggle between ousted leader Imran Khan‘s party and the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) coalition government — including the crucial by-elections in the Punjab province.
Continue reading at jacobin.com
Pakistan: masses devastated by floods and rains while rulers continue to loot and plunder
By Adam Pal
Sep. 6, 2022
Pakistan has been ravaged by floods and torrential rains, while the ruling class continues to loot and plunder the impoverished masses at this time of distress and disaster. According to reports, around one third of the country has been devastated by the floods and rains of the last three months, while 33 million people have been affected. Around 1,400 have died, and around 4,000 injuries have been reported according to official figures. According to the recent reports 482,030 people have been displaced while 372,823 buildings have been destroyed.
These figures give only a limited picture. The real devastation is many times greater: state authorities are unable to ascertain accurate figures on account of their incompetence and corruption. According to some independent reports, around ten million people are suffering from acute hunger at the moment, having nothing to eat or drink. Many have not eaten for over a week and have had to walk long distances of up to a hundred kilometres barefooted to reach safety.
Continue reading at www.marxist.com
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