Costs of floods
The enormous destruction of the economic and social infrastructure by floods over the last few weeks has set the country back by many years. The exact costs will not be known for some time but the losses are estimated to have already far exceeded the damage done by the 2005 earthquake. The United Nations says Pakistan requires millions of dollars for rescue and relief operations and billions for reconstruction of the flood-hit infrastructure. The scale of destruction is feared to jeopardise Pakistan’s ability to salvage its fragile economy for many years to come and weaken its capacity to tackle key challenges, including poverty alleviation and the threat of militancy.
The cash-starved government needs immediate and generous international support to undertake relief and reconstruction efforts and avoid budgetary strains. The global response to the catastrophe is a lot slower compared to the relief efforts for the earthquake victims five years ago. The assistance some countries have promised so far is far from adequate and can hardly help the West, particularly Washington and London, to win the hearts and minds of the people of Pakistan.
Among the parts of the country hit the hardest by floods are regions that are known to be poor and also for supplying fresh blood to militant groups — areas in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and southern Punjab. A delay in rehabilitation here would enhance the sense of deprivation that these areas already feel. Thus, if it is not moved by a pure humanitarian urge, the outside world has a selfish reason to step forward quickly to help Islamabad undertake rebuilding in these areas. The donors’ lack of confidence in the government’s ability or will to spend aid money properly and honestly should not keep it from helping the suffering millions. The money can be channelled through credible international and local organisations to the affected population.
But before the world comes to our rescue, our politicians also need to learn a lesson or two. The delayed and inadequate official action to rescue people trapped in the floodwaters and provide emergency relief supplies in time has already prompted public protests at a few places. Just as it was not the right occasion for the president to leave for his European visit, this is also not the right time to score political points when millions are struggling for survival. The scale and magnitude of destruction demands that politicians cast aside their differences to help the people rather than using their misery for photo-ops. Political wrangling at this point at the cost of affectees can only provoke greater public anger.