Friendly nations think we beg for money: Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif on current 'challenging situation'
Prime Minister Sharif stated that when we visit friendly countries or make phone calls, they believe we have come to beg for money. Sharif claimed that even small economies had surpassed Pakistan and that we had been begging for 75 years.
FollowPakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has presented a bleak picture of the country's dwindling economy, lamenting the fact that even friendly countries have begun to regard Pakistan as a country that is constantly begging for money.
According to Dawn news, in his speech to the lawyers, the PM said that today, when we visit any friendly country or make a phone call, they believe we have come (to them) to beg for money. Sharif claimed that even small economies had surpassed Pakistan and that we had been wandering for 75 years with a begging bowl.
According to the prime minister, the country's economy was already in a 'challenging situation' before the floods, further complicating matters.
Since early June, the cash-strapped country has been dealing with the worst floods in 30 years, killing over 1,400 people and affecting 33 million people.
A third of the country is underwater, and one in every seven people has been impacted by the floods, which have caused an estimated USD 12 billion in losses and have submerged approximately 78,000 square kilometres (21 million acres) of crops.
According to the UN, USD 150 million has been pledged in response to flash appeals for flood victims in Pakistan, but only USD 38 million has been converted into assistance.
While several countries have offered to help Pakistan in times of crisis, Pakistan and the UN have launched a flash appeal for USD 160 million in initial funding, with USD 150 million pledged.
According to United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator Julien Harneis, the main donors were the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Japan, Denmark, Australia, Singapore, and others, in addition to the UN's Central Emergency Response Fund, which raised USD 10 million.
Meanwhile, the Nepalese government sent humanitarian relief supplies to Pakistan on Wednesday to assist flood victims. Aside from other household items, the Nepal Airlines chartered flight carried food, medicines, and clothing.
Canada announced an additional USD 25 million in humanitarian assistance funding for Pakistan during this difficult time on Wednesday.
According to an official statement, the new funding is in addition to the USD 5 million announced earlier this month. Canada will continue to provide food, clean water, and other essential services through trusted partners.
(With inputs from PTI)
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