Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Lahore (Agenzia Fides) – There are over 423,000 people in Punjab and in the Northeastern Province living in drastic conditions. They are thousands of families that have had to abandon houses, properties, and source of livelihood, as a result of the recent natural disasters, and from the recent internal conflicts and the presence of militant extremist groups who are taking over the area and place control of the territory in jeopardy. This has been the alert launched by the World Health Organization, through the United Nations, and by other non-governmental organizations working on an international level, as they hope to make governments and the international community in general aware of what is happening especially in the northern regions of Pakistan (near Afghanistan), which are mainly tribal areas and where there is reported activity of the “Pakistani Taliban.”
Civilians in the two provinces have been struck by highly destructive monsoons that have washed away roads and bridges, public buildings (e.g. schools and hospitals), as well as the houses of hundreds of families.
The international organizations note that there are thousands of people in barely accessible areas and are thus being deprived of assistance, of basic items such as water, food, and medicine. They are in a particularly vulnerable state, especially the children, the elderly, the sick, and handicapped.
The local authorities do all they can, but the means are very limited and, as the agencies have stated, there is an urgent need to send in basic humanitarian assistance.
The serious situation affecting over 400,000 Pakistani refugees was recently recalled during the recent political events, such as the election of President Ali Zardari. The Pakistani aid organizations, among which are Caritas and the Justice and Peace Commission of the Pakistani Bishops’ Conference, have asked the civil authorities to collaborate in providing aid for the evacuees. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 12/9/2008)
