Mehmood-Ul-Hassan Khan
Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari has made a personal call to President H.H. Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan and expressed the gratitude of the government and people of Pakistan to the United Arab Emirates for its extended humanitarian assistance to floods inflicted people in the country.
Ongoing saga in shape of super floods has badly affected our macro-economy. Millions of people are confronting against all odds for their socio-economic survival. Agriculture, livestock, infrastructure and cash crops have been cleaned out and levels of human miseries are increasing day by day. There is doom and gloom and wandering souls of hapless, hopeless and homeless are at receiving ends.
In this time of national crisis, as usual the United Arab Emirates stood first and pledged all sorts of possible human and financial assistance for the people of Pakistan. President of UAE Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan ordered urgent delivery of relief materials to shelter less displaced people in the different areas of Pakistan. For compliance of the directives by President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan the Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Foundation (KBZF), UAE’s Red Crescent authority (UAERCA) and Relief Army Force started their diversified huge relief operations in different regions in the country.
Following are given the details of their ongoing relief distribution operations and health care campaigns in different parts of the country
Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Foundation (KBZF)
It started its humanitarian operations in many parts of Pakistan. KBZF was among the first foreign aid agency/organization that responded on and intensified its humanitarian and relief works in various regions. Balochistan was the first place of its relief operation activities. The foundation also launched its huge relief distribution operations in Sindh, Punjab, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Afterwards, it launched its relief operations in the most affected areas of Swat, Peshawar, Nowshera and Ranjanpur. Now KBZF is engaged in Southern Punjab and trying its levels best to help the wandering souls of hapless and hopeless massive population. More precisely, it distributing tents, bags of wheat flour, bags of lentil, food packages, dry fruit, dry milk, beans, cloths, basic medical kits, biscuits, and canned food stuff.
Most recently, it has distributed five truks carrying food stuff, tents, mineral water bottles, and dates totaling 80 tonnes partly in Nowshera, Charsadda and Swat. Right from the first day of its relief operations the Foundation has been working and coordinating with the Armed Forces of Pakistan under the supervision of United Arab Emirates Embassy, Islamabad. The KBZF has been tireless working for the betterment in providing life-saving assistance to them. By taking desperately needed food, mineral water bottles, medicines and sheltering material to the flood victims, the Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Foundation’s contribution to the relief efforts is highly significant. More precisely, it has distributed tents, bags of wheat flour, bags of lentil, and the last not the least food packages to the affected people. It has also installed water purification plants in Rahim Yar Khan and its surrounding areas. So, far it has distributed 1000 tones of food stuff, 2000 tents, 20,000 liters of mineral waters in the different parts of the country. It is going to distribute 20000 food packets, 120,000 liters of mineral water and 100,000 tents and more water purification plants along with supplies of medicines in the near future in different parts of the country. Last but not the least; it has plans for a specific health care campaign in order to manage the risks of any epidemic disease in these areas.
Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Charity and Humanitarian Foundation (MBRCF)
It is physically engaged with deserving people affected from the super floods in the country. It continued its relief operations in cooperation with the UAE Military Relief Forces to alleviate the sufferings of the flood victims in Pakistan. A second cargo plane sent by MBRCF with more than 15 tonnes of relief goods arrived and distributed in Multan. It has already handed over many tonnes of food stuff consisting of canned foods items and 11 tonnes of tarpaulin sheet “tents” which expands to accommodate more than 7500 affected families.
Director of MBRCF Saleh Zaher Mazroui praised the functional understanding and high levels of coordination between the Foundation and other charities in the UAE as the relief supplies were loaded and arranged in cooperation with Dubai Charity Association and Dar Al Ber Society.
UAE Red Crescent Authority (UAERCA)
Upon the directives from President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, The Red Crescent Authority sent many cargo planes loaded with tonnes of relief supplies for the flood affected people. Foodstuff, tents, medicine, children’s food and clothes are being directly distributed to deserving people. Most recently, about 227 tonnes of dates and another 40 tonnes of food and sheltering assistance were airlifted by the UAE air bridge to Rahim Yar Khan for helping the floods affected people. It is now engaged with the health preventive programme in coordination with the UNICEF in the country. It established a field hospital to work hand in hand with Ibrahimi hospital in Peshawar. UAERCA also remained busy in the massive vaccination drive in the floods affected areas. It is also working on equipping a team of medics and paramedics to reinforce the medical mission on ground in Jacobabad.
Most recently, Secretary General of UAE Red Crescent, Mohamed Khalifa Ahmed Al Qamzi and Ali Saif Al Awani, UAE Ambassador in Islamabad, meet with the chief minister of Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa Haider Khan Hoti and discussed on many issues relating to relief operations and health care facilities in the country.
A telethon, “Your Help” was launched by the UAE Red Crescent Authority, in line with the directions of President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan. More than AED 85 million was collected during the three-day telethon campaign. Right from the top to bottom or from dynasties to dynamics everyone fully participated and generously donated millions of funds. Among the prominent donors are Shaikh Hamdan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Ruler’s Representative in the Western Region and Chairman of the UAE Red Crescent Authority (RCA), donated Dh1 million, Her Highness Shaikha Fatima Bint Mubarak, Supreme President of the Family Development Foundation, Chairwoman of the General Women’s Union and honorary head of the RCA, gifted Dh5 million, and Shaikha Aisha Bint Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, deposited Dh3 million. Moreover, Maximus Air Cargo, a part of Abu Dhabi Aviation Group pledged three free of charge cargo flights to Pakistan during the UAE Telethon for Pakistan.
UAE Red Crescent Authority (RCA) is coordinating with Pakistani authorities for the systematic distribution of medicines, essential medical supplies and comprehensive First Aid kits in the most affected areas by the floods. A 70-tonne humanitarian cargo airlifted has already been landed consisted mainly of medical supplies, in addition to a number of essential food items. A third cargo plane sent by RCA as part of its humanitarian air bridge arrived at the Peshawar airport. The cargo containing food and medical supplies will be distributed among the victims by RCA volunteers on ground in cooperation with the Pakistan Red Crescent.
UAE Military Relief Force
The UAE Military Relief Force is operating an air bridge between the flood-hit areas and delivery relief stations. It is carrying inter-provincial airlifting of relief goods. It allocated three Chinook helicopters to airlift and drop relief items to areas ravaged by floods and rescue victims. The team and Armed Forces of Pakistan are assisting the distressed population to safe areas and airlift relief supplies to flood engulfed areas which could not be reached by land. UAE aircraft are also carrying relief assistance offered by friendly countries from main airports to locations of internally displaced persons (IDPs). Three Chinook planes stationed at the Pakistan Air Force Base in Multan have so far transported 110 tonnes of relief goods and handed over to the Army operating in the floods affected areas identified by the government. Army Chief General Kayani has made a special visit two days ago to the UAE military camp in Pakistan to express his gratitude for this effort.
UAE Ambassador to Pakistan Ali Saif Al-Awani is supervising, coordinating and facilitating the ongoing relief operations by all the UAE organizations in the different parts of the country. Most recently he has met with Governor of Khyber-Pakhtoonkhwa, Owais Ghani and enlightened him about the intensified vaccination campaign carrying out by the UAE Red Crescent along with United Nation Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and local charitable hospitals Peshawar. He proudly shared that so far more than 250,000 people have been vaccinated against measles, polio, tetanus and vitamin in addition to other medical services. Moreover, he said that the medical team will extend its vaccination campaign in the different areas of the province and after its completion moves to other regions too.
Concluding Remarks
From dynasties to dynamics every one in UAE is eager to help the people of Pakistan and the organizations working in different parts of the country have momentous relief programs to give new hope and sense to their shattered lives. They have plans of systematic health campaign, shelter houses, and the last not the least distribution of relief goods.