Pakistan's difficult road to recovery

Pakistan's miseries go on. In the one month since floods began to ravage the country, conditions have been turning for the worse with reports of diseases and plain hunger coming in from inaccessible parts of the flood-affected regions. That, again, is a reality not to be easily averted. With more than a fifth of Pakistan now under floodwaters and with the rivers still rising because of the endless rains, it is hard to see how --- and how soon --- it can get on to the road to recovery.
Aid of the kind needed from the international community has not been coming in. Much of the reason for it being so lies of course with the inability of the Pakistan government to handle relief efforts. Of all the institutions in Pakistan, only the army has proved capable of rushing to the aid of the victims. It is Pakistan's people who need to be reassured that the global community is with them.
No fewer than 1600 people have died in the floods. As many as 20 million have been displaced. Whole villages have been swept away and crops have been destroyed. Small wonder, then, that charities run by South Asian and other communities abroad remain busy asking people for donations.
While such donations will come in handy, there is still more that the world can do as a whole. The flash appeal made by the United Nations on August 9 for $ 500 million in aid to Pakistan has not had much of an impact, or so it seems. No more than half that amount has been raised so far. What is needed at this point time is to ensure that survival kits reach the flood affected people urgently, and that all necessary measures are undertaken to prevent outbreak of large scale epidemic which automatically ensues after floods of this magnitude.
For its part Bangladesh has committed USD 2 million, but in addition, the Bangladesh government may also organise the NGOs and use their expertise and manpower to help the flood affected people of Pakistan, particularly in respect of distribution of relief and medical support.
In this respect, SAARC nations, in a regional spirit, could undertake and coordinate joint relief efforts. Pakistan's flood-affected people need to survive. Let no impediment come in the way of their rehabilitation.