"Flood effects on Economy"

Floods usually have devastating effects on the Economy of a country. Flood causes many disasters to land, property and people. It destroys whatever comes in its way. Flood destroys the crops and livestock thus limiting or completely eliminating their contributions to the economy. It also destroys road and railway networks in the affected area, So transportation of goods and people is effected, which also causes the economy to suffer. It destroys or damages buildings, factories, warehouses etc which often results in closing down of work in these places due to which not only the common workers suffer but also the industries suffer. Also, the government has to invest huge amount of funds and manpower in rehabilitation of people and industries, which also causes the economy to suffer at the national level. Great Answer Not Helpful Report

Pakistani Leaders Tour Flood-Ravaged Areas

Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari has made his first visit to flood-hit areas of the country, following widespread criticism of his decision to travel abroad during the disaster.

The floods, triggered by monsoon rains, have killed at least 1,600 people and affected close to 14 million in the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab and Sindh provinces over the last two weeks. The U.N. has appealed for $460 million dollars to provide immediate help, including food, shelter and clean water.

Mr. Zardari flew to the southern city of Sukkur in Sindh on Thursday to assess the damage and the relief operation. The visit comes days after he returned from a controversial trip to Europe.

Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani traveled to flood-hit areas in the southwestern Baluchistan region Thursday, saying the government will do its best to meet aid needs.

Two U.S. military helicopters were the first of 19 to arrive in Pakistan on Thursday from a U.S. aircraft carrier, the USS Peleliu, in the Arabian Sea. The aircraft will help with relief efforts and replace six combat helicopters from the U.S. war effort in neighboring Afghanistan.

U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates ordered the 19 helicopters to Pakistan on Wednesday. The U.S. embassy in Islamabad says the U.S. military has helped rescue more than 3,000 people and transported 146,000 kilograms of emergency supplies since August 5.

Pakistani Ambassador to the United Nations Abdullah Hussain Haroon on Wednesday called the floods a "horrendous disaster," saying they have affected 150,000 square kilometers of land and wiped out 4,700 villages.

Hundreds of homes, bridges and roads have been washed away, with at least two million left homeless.

A U.N. humanitarian coordinator in Pakistan, Martin Mogwanja, said U.N. health workers already have noted high levels of gastroenteritis and diarrhea among flood victims.

سیلاب: فصلیں اور اناج کے ذخائر تب

پاکستان کے وفاقی وزیرِ خوراک و زراعت نذر محمد گوندل نے کہا ہے کہ سیلاب کی وجہ سے اناج کے ذخیرے اور اس وقت کی کھڑی تمام فصلیں پوری طرح تباہ ہوگئی ہیں۔

ان کا کہنا تھا کہ عالمی برادری کو پاکستان میں متاثرین کے لیے امداد بھیجنی چاہیے۔

بی بی سی سے بات کرتے ہوئے نذر محمد گوندل نے کہا کہ پاکستان میں سڑکیں اور بنیادی ڈھانچہ تباہ ہونے کی وجہ سے سیلاب زدگان کی امداد میں رکاوٹ اور مشکل پیدا ہو رہی ہے۔

انہوں نے کہا کہ ایک تو حکومتی امداد بہت کم ہے اور وہ بھی سڑکیں تباہ ہونے کی وجہ متاثرین تک پہنچانے میں تاخیر ہو رہی ہے۔

ان کا کہنا تھا ’ہمیں کاٹن، گنّے، چاول، دال اور تمباکو کی کھیتی میں زبردست نقصان پہنچا ہے۔ یہ مستقبل کے لیے ایک بڑا نقصان ہے۔ یہ قوم کی نقدی فصلیں ہیں جس سے پاکستان کی معیشت متاثر ہو گي۔‘

پنجاب اسبملی کے رکن محسن لغاری نے بی بی سی کو بتایا اس صورت حال میں بھوک سے مر رہے متاثرین امدادی کارکنوں پر بھی حملے کر رہے ہیں۔’ان کی فصل چلی گئی اور اس کے ساتھ ہی روزی روٹی نہیں رہی، بنیادی ڈھانچہ اور سڑکیں بھی تباہ ہو چکی ہیں۔ اس وقت تو ہماری زمین کا ملک کے دوسرے حصے سے رابطہ ہی منقطع ہو چکا ہے۔‘

ہمیں کاٹن، گنّے، چاول، دال اور تمابکو کی کھیتی میں زبردست نقصان پہنچا ہے۔ یہ مستقبل کے لیے ایک بڑا نقصان ہے۔ یہ قوم کی نقدی فصلیں ہیں جس سے پاکستان کی معیشت متاثر ہو گي۔

نذر گوندل

اس دوران برطانیہ میں پاکستان کے سفیر واجد شمس الحسن نے ان الزامات کو مسترد کر دیا ہے کہ سیلاب کے لیے دی گئی امداد میں بد عنوانی ہو رہی ہے۔ ان کا کہنا تھا کہ حکومت اس رقم سے لوگوں کی ممکنہ حد تک مدد کر رہی ہے۔

اس سے قبل ٹراسپیرنسی انٹر نیشنل نے الزام عائد کیا تھا کہ امداد کے لیے دی گئی رقم میں بد عنوانی کا غلبہ ہے۔

اس دوران محکمہ موسمیات نے حیدرآباد سندھ ، کالا باغ، اور پنجاب میں چشمہ میں سیلاب کے لیے خبردار کیا ہے۔ پاکستان میں سیلاب کی وجہ سے اقوام متحدہ کے مطابق ایک کروڑ چالیس لاکھ سے زیادہ لوگ متاثر ہوئے ہیں۔

واضح رہے کہ اقوام متحدہ نے سیلاب زدگان کی امداد کے لیے پینتالیس کروڑ ڈالر کی امداد کی عالمی برادری کو اپیل کر رکھی ہے۔

سیلاب سے سبزیوں اور پھلوں کی قیمتوں میں اضافہ

پچھلے دو ہفتوں سے جاری بارشوں اور سیلاب نے جہاں سینکڑوں افراد کو ہلاک اور لاکھوں کو بے گھر کیا ہے وہاں وسیع پیمانے پر کھڑی فصلوں اور زرعی زمینوں کو بھی نقصان پہنچا ہے۔

ملک کے تقریباً تمام بڑے شہروں کے بازاروں میں سبزیوں اور پھلوں کی قیمتیں آسمان سے باتیں کرنے لگی ہیں جب کہ مزید بارشوں کی پیش گوئی کی وجہ سے اس صورتحال میں فوری بہتری کی کوئی امید دکھائی نہیں دے رہی۔ دکانداران اشیا کی قیمتوں میں اضافے کی وجہ منڈیوں میں سبزیوں اور پھلوں کی قلت بتاتے ہیں۔

بلوچستان اور خیبر پختونخواہ ملک بھر میں پھل فراہم کرتے ہیں لیکن بارشوں اور سیلاب کی وجہ سے یہاں ان کی پیداوار بری طرح متاثر ہوئی ہے۔ حالیہ سیلاب سے تباہی کا شکار ہونے والے علاقوں مردان اور چارسدہ میں تمباکو اور مکئی کی فصلوں کو بہت نقصان پہنچا ہے۔

سیلابی ریلوں کی وجہ سے خوراک کے ذخیرے بھی پانی میں بہہ گئے ہیں اور سڑکوں کی ٹوٹ پھوٹ سے اجناس کی ترسیل کا نظام بھی متاثر ہوا ہے۔

لاہور کے تاجروں کا کہنا ہے کہ یہاں بھی زرعی اجناس کی قلت ہے اور آلو،پیاز،اور ادرک وہ بھارت سے درآمد کررہے ہیں تاہم اب انھوں نے درآمدی آرڈر کی مقدار بڑھا دی ہے۔

لاہور چیمبر آف کامرس کی ٹریڈ اینڈ ٹیرف کمیٹی کے چیئر مین تنویر صوفی نے وائس آف امریکہ کو بتایا کہ سیلاب کے باعث فصلیں تباہ ہوگئی ہیں اور ملک میں ان کی پیداوار بھی متاثر ہوئی ہے لہذا یہ اشیا بھارت سے منگوائی جارہی ہیں۔ ان کے بقول اس سے کچھ حد تک قیمتوں میں کمی ہوگی۔

واضح رہے کہ پاکستان میں افراط زر کی شرح پہلے ہی 12 فیصد سے زیادہ ہے، حکومت رمضان کے مہینے میں عام آدمیوں کو ریلیف مہیا کرنے کے لیے کوشاں تو ہے لیکن عام خیال یہ ہے کہ بدترین سیلاب کے نتیجے میں افراط زر میں ہونے والا اضافہ لوگوں کی مالی مشکلات اور بھی بڑھا دے گا۔

سندھ میں اونچے درجے کا سیلاب

پاکستان کے صوبہ خیبرپختون خواہ ، پنجاب، بلوچستان، کشمیر اور گلگت بلتستان میں زبردست تباہی مچانے کے بعد سیلابی ریلا اب سندھ میں داخل ہو گیا ہے جہاں اس سے مزید نقصان ہونے کا خدشہ ہے ۔ سیلاب سے متاثرہ علاقوں میں ہفتے کے روز بھی مزید بارشوں کا سلسلہ جاری ہے جس سے دریاؤں اور نالوں میں پانی کی سطح اور بلند ہو گئی۔

امدادی کارکنوں کے لیے متاثرین کو خوراک اور پینے کے صاف پانی کی فراہمی پہلے ہی کڑا چیلیج بنا ہوا ہے جب کہ بارشوں کا یہ نیا سلسلہ امدادی سرگرمیوں میں مزید رکاوٹ ڈال رہا ہے۔

ادھر کراچی میں ایک نیوزکانفرنس سے خطاب کرتے ہوئے وزیر اعظم یوسف رضا گیلانی نے کہا کہ پاکستان کی مسلح افواج اور سول ادارے سندھ سمیت دیگر متاثرہ علاقوں میں سیلاب زدگان کی امداد کے لیے پوری طرح متحرک ہیں ۔ "ہماری ترجیح سب سے پہلے متاثرین کو بچانا پھر انہیں امداد فراہم کرنا اور اس کے بعد تباہی کا جائزہ لے کر متاثرین کا نقصان پورا کرنا ہے جس کے لیے عالمی امداد کی بھی اپیل کی جائے گی"۔

وزیر اعظم کا کہنا تھا کہ سندھ کے جن علاقوں میں سیلاب سے تباہی کا خطرہ ہے وہاں کے مکینوں کو محفوظ علاقوں کا رخ کرنے کا لیے کہا گیا ہے لیکن یہ لوگ علاقے سے جذباتی لگاؤ کی وجہ سے اپنا گھر بار چھوڑنے کو تیار نہیں ہیں۔

صوبہ سندھ میں داخل ہونے والے سیلابی ریلے کی کیا صورت حال ہے اس بارے میں آفات سے نمٹنے کے صوبائی ادارے یعنی پی ڈی ایم اے کے ایک عہدیدار خیر محمّد کلہوڑ نے وائس آف امریکہ کو ایک انٹرویو میں بتایا " نو لاکھ 60 ہزار کیوسک کا سیلابی ریلا گڈو بیراج پہنچا ہے اور اس سے سکھر، گھوٹکی اور کشمور کے اضلاع میں پانی آ گیا ہے جبکہ 90 فیصد لوگوں نے ان علاقوں کو خالی کر دیا ہے، اس کے ساتھ ساتھ ہماری امدادی سرگرمیاں بھی جاری ہیں"

مون سون کی بارشوں سے پاکستان کی تاریخ میں آنے والے اس شدید ترین سیلاب میں سرکاری اطلاعت کے مطابق اب تک 1500 کے لگ بھگ افراد ہلاک اور ایک کڑور 20 لاکھ سے زائد متاثر ہوۓ ہیں ۔

اس قدرتی آفت میں لاکھوں افراد بے گھر ہوئےہیں اور ہزاروں ایکڑ اراضی زیر آب آ گئی ہے جبکہ ان گنت املاک ، سڑکوں پلوں کے علاوہ فون اور بجلی کے نظام کو بھی نقصان پہنچایا ہے ۔

AP

اقوام متحدہ کا کہنا ہے کہ اس سیلاب میں ہونے والی تباہی اس نقصان کے برابر ہے جو پاکستان میں اکتوبر 2005 میں آنے والے تباہ کن زلزلے میں ہوا تھا جس میں تقریباً 80 ہزار افراد ہلاک ہو گئے تھے ۔

دیگر ملکوں کی طرح امریکہ نے بھی فراخ دلی کا مظاہرہ کرتے ہے پاکستان میں سیلاب زدگان کی مدد کے لیے افغانستان سے اپنے چھ ہیلی کاپٹر بھیجے ہیں۔

محمکہ موسمیات کی طرف سے آنے والے دنوں میں بارشوں کے جاری رہنے کی پیش گوئی کی گئی ہے ۔

Flood Victims in Pakistan in Need of Emergency Shelter

The International Organization for Migration says there is a desperate need for emergency shelter and other relief items in the north and center of Pakistan as floods continue to spread. The IOM says more shelter will be needed as the floods continue to move from north to south, displacing growing numbers of people downstream in Punjab and Sindh provinces.

Pakistani officials estimate about 250,000 homes in the northwestern part of the country have been destroyed or severely damaged by the floods. This, they say, has left at least one-and-one-half million people homeless.

To date, the government's National Disaster Management Authority reports more than 50,000 tents have been distributed to affected families.

The Geneva-based International Organization for Migration is coordinating the distribution of emergency shelter by the government and humanitarian aid agencies.

Brian Kelly, who heads IOM's emergency response unit in Islamabad, says too many people still have no protective cover from the ongoing torrential rains.

"The movement of people has been significant," Kelly said. "Just for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, there are at least 310 different locations where people have moved to schools, mosques, government buildings, army barracks, stadiums and, what we would call, collective centers. There are also about five very informal camps and well over 100 spontaneous settlements, primarily located on the roadside, because the road is higher than the surrounding farmland area."

Kelly says many people are along the road. He says they have no assistance and are completely exposed to the stifling heat and rain.

He says aid agencies on the ground have distributed all of their existing stock. He says the floods have damaged many of the tents and other shelter material in local warehouses.

Kelly says aid agencies are hampered by lack of supplies and accessibility to certain areas, but are doing their best to fill the needs of the displaced flood victims.

"Overall, the strategy is looking at shelter kits," Kelly said. "That is plastic tarpaulins, as well as some rope and other materials, to help people in the extremely overcrowded collective centers, living in the schools, the government buildings and also providing non-food items to them."

Kelly says it is particularly critical to get tents to the people living in spontaneous settlements along the roadside. He is appealing to the international community to send tents that meet international standards as quickly as possible.

Pakistan Floods Threaten Sindh After More Than 3 Million People Stranded

Pakistan’s deadliest floods in eight decades may spread to the one province as yet unaffected, the southern region of Sindh, after devastating the three remaining regions and leaving more than three million people stranded.
“We’re expecting the floods may enter Sindh from Punjab by Aug. 6 or 7, affecting one million people in 2,000 villages,” Khair Mohammed Kalwar, director of operations at the Provincial Disaster Management Authority, said by telephone from Karachi. The area at risk between the towns of Sukkur and Thatta covers about 339.7 kilometers (211 miles).
The floods, which swept through villages and farmland in northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa last week, and then inundated Punjab, are the worst to hit Pakistan in 80 years, UNICEF said in a statement yesterday. More than 1,500 people died in the northwest, the provincial government said.
Water flow in the Indus River is expected to reach 1 million cubic feet per second, 10 times the norm, and the army has been deployed in Sindh to help evacuate people, Kalwar said. Fifty navy boats and three helicopters are on standby.
Floodwaters demolished homes and bridges and swept away major roads across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab and crops across the nation were damaged. The floods first struck the western province of Baluchistan on July 22.
Crops Damaged
More than 1,000 villages in Punjab were flooded and crops planted on over 1 million acres of land were damaged, Rizwan Ullah, director general of the Crisis Management Cell, said by telephone from Lahore. Communication networks have been disrupted and ground access is limited in the northwest because highways and roads have been destroyed, according to UNICEF.
More rains are forecast in the Malakand division and Swat Valley in the northwest today, Tahir Kamran Khan, a spokesman for the Provincial Disaster Management Agency, said by telephone from Peshawar.
“In nearly all the flood-affected areas, water supplies have been contaminated” Save the Children said in a statement yesterday. “There are confirmed reports of diarrhea and cholera that may spread rapidly among the hundreds of thousands who have lost their homes.”
Pakistani television networks showed survivors clinging to trees or debris in muddy, raging mountain rivers. Opposition leader Nawaz Sharif, a two-time prime minister, criticized President Asif Ali Zardari for pursuing a trip to France and the U.K. this week.

Flash flood inundates 192 villages in Sindh

SUKKUR (August 07 2010): The flash flood has entered Sindh province and initially 192 villages were inundated due to breach in embankment at Qadirpur and entry of flood waters in District Nawabshah. Pakistan Army and Pakistan Rangers have started rescue work. Pakistan Army rescued 27,000 people from inundated areas of Kashmore, Ghotki and Sukkur, while Pakistan Navy rescued 12,000 people from these areas and shifted them to safer places.Evacuation of dangerous places was paced up due to rise in water level. The water level at Guddu Barrage reached 962,768 cusecs, against analysts' expectations that the level would drop to 850,000 cusecs due to four major breaches at Taunsa Barrage in Punjab. Now, it is expected that water level at Guddu Barrage would increase to a million cusecs due to heavy rains.Total area from Guddo Barrage to Sukkur Barrage has been inundated due to breach at Qadirpur embankment and the flood waters entered katcha areas near the Indus River, resulting in submergence in water. Massive migration has been observed in districts Ghotki, Kashmore and Sukkur. People have started moving to their relatives' houses, relief camps and neighbouring higher areas to escape disaster. Total 21 embankments from Guddu Barrage and Sukkur, particularly Kandhkot-Kashmore Bund, Ghauspur Bund, Tori Baund, Bachal Bhio Bund, Kot Shahu, Ali Wan bund and Daim Malik Bund were declared dangerous.Khair Muhammad Kalwar, Director, Operation, Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), told Business Recorder that the water level at Guddu Barrage was recorded 962,768 cusecs, and 730, 853 cusecs at Sukkur Barrage, while the Kotri Barrage was flowing at 156,865 cusecs. He said there is no chance of increase in flood water at Guddu Barrage; "but next 24 hours could be crucial".He said that due to breach in embankment at Qadirpur point 192 villages in the katcha area of Kashmore, Ghotki and Sukkur had been inundated by flood waters. "From Guddu Barrage to Sukkur Barrage there is a distance of 160 miles, out of which 24 miles katch area and agricultural land inundated due to breach at Qadipur embankment," he said.He said there are 21 vulnerable points (embankments) from Guddu Barrage to Sukkur Barrage, which could be breached when high pressure (962,768 cusecs) would reached Sukkur Barrage. He said the meteorological analysts have forecast heavy rains in Sukkur, Kashmore and Ghotki, which may worsen the situation.Briefing the journalists, District Co-ordination Officer (DCO) Ghotki said the breach at Qadirpur embankment had been refilled and the water was passing from the affected embankment properly. "There is no threat of breaching of embankments in the Ghotki districts".Federal Minister for Water and Power Pervaiz Ashraf visited the Sukkur Barrage. Including Kot Addu Power Plant, all other power plants were declared safe, he said. Federal Minister for Labour and Manpower, Khursheed Shah, and Sindh Minister for Irrigation Saifullah Dharejo visited Sukkur Barrage. They condemned the allegation that the provincial government was trying to breach embankments to save Sukkur Barrage from damage.

High flood tide passing through Guddu

SUKKAR: After wreaking havoc in Punjab, the flood is fast raging towards Sindh to unfold the spell of devastations there, as a massive torrent of water in River Indus is roaring through Guddu, Geo News reported Saturday.The high flooding at Guddu Barrage has deluged dozens of villages in District Ghotki and flood tide has hitherto sustained pressure at Qadirpur Loup in in Ghotki , Sarhad and District Obaro.The flood-affected people in Ghotki turned down the government offer of succor, holding it insufficient with Pak Army and Navy fully geared up to cope with any emergency situation.Sukkar Barrage is witnessing a flood of higher degree at present with water level beyond 775,000 cusecs, as water around 751,000 cusecs is being discharged from here for Kotri Barrage.The security at all sensitive embankments from Guddu Barrage to Sukkar Barrage and from Sukkar Barrage to Dadu Moro Bridge, have been stepped up, with personnel of Army, the Rangers, police as well as Irrigation Department are primed alert to ward off any unseemly incident.Also, the Rangers have started patrolling on some points in the area. Meantime, Pak Army has taken over all arrangements relating the protection of Faridabad Bund, Alarajageer Bund and Jamshed Lope Bund on Indus River in Khairpur.The floodwater entered Goth Sommer Mallah at Jamshed Lope Bund, followed by efforts by Pak Navy and Army to evacuate the people stranded in flooded areas.The power supply in catchments area in Faridabad Bund and Alarjageer Bund, lay cut off.Meantime, over 30,000 people are feared to get affected by the potential flooding at Nusrat Bund, Aqil Agani Bund Puranaabad areas of Larkana; however, over 15,000 people have been evacuated to safer places in Khairpur and Larkana districts.Cadet College Larkana has been closed for four days in view of potential flooding. Meanwhile, the underground water soared in tandem with the presence of water around archaeological site of Moenjo Daro, posing threat to great ancient remains.The population and bunds in Jamshoro, Qasimabad and Latifabad, are at increased risk posed by potential flooding, leading to the works regarding the repair embankments.The bunds are being supervised. And advisory has been issued to residents of Interior Sindh to evacuate to the safer places.

More rain lashes Pakistan, deepening flood crisis

SUKKUR, Pakistan — More rain soaked flood-ravaged Pakistan on Saturday and even heavier downpours were forecast for coming days, deepening a crisis in which hard-line Islamists have rushed to fill gaps in the government's patchy response.
Pakistani officials estimate as many as 13 million people throughout the South Asian nation have been affected by the rising waters. About 1,500 people have died, most of them in the northwest, the hardest-hit region. Mass evacuations are under way in the southern province of Sindh after the Indus River rose there.
The intense flooding that began about two weeks ago has washed away roads, bridges and many communications lines, hampering rescue efforts. Incessant monsoon rains have grounded many helicopters trying to rescue people and ferry aid, including six choppers manned by U.S. troops on loan from Afghanistan.
The national government's response has appeared chaotic at times, and confidence in its ability to cope has been shaken by the decision of President Asif Ali Zardari to visit France and England amid the crisis.
Floodwaters receded somewhat Friday in the northwest, but downpours in the evening and early Saturday again swelled rivers and streams. Pakistani meteorologist Farooq Dar said heavy rains in Afghanistan were expected to make things even worse over the next 36 hours as the bloated Kabul River surged into Pakistan's northwest.
That will likely mean more woes for Punjab and Sindh provinces as well, as new river torrents flow east and south.
Authorities have given varying tolls for the number of people among Pakistan's 175 million impacted by the floods.
The United Nations said 4 million people had been affected, including 1.5 million severely, meaning their homes had been damaged or destroyed. But Pakistani officials have put the figure much higher.
In the northwest and Punjab, floods have displaced 12 million people, said Amal Masud, an official with the National Disaster Management Authority. In Sindh province, about 1 million people have been evacuated or are currently being helped out of their homes, said Jam Saifullah, the provincial irrigation minister.
An Associated Press reporter saw many people walking on foot and using trucks to migrate to safer places in Sindh. Some, however, refused to leave their lands, crops and homes.
"Let the flood come. We will live and die here," said Dur Mohammed, 75, who lives in a mud brick home in Dadli village.
Mohammed was one of 250 people in Dadli resisting evacuation, even though floodwaters have already began touching the embankments of the Indus River less than one mile (two kilometers) away. Many feared that if they left and the floods never came, their household items would be stolen.
The United Nations said the disaster was "on a par" with the 2005 Kashmir earthquake — which killed about 73,000 people — in terms of the numbers of people needing assistance and damage to infrastructure.
Some 30,000 Pakistani soldiers are rebuilding bridges, delivering food and setting up relief camps in the northwest, which is the main battleground in the fight against al-Qaida and the Taliban. Foreign countries and the United Nations have donated millions of dollars.
The U.S. has tapped soldiers from its war effort in Afghanistan to operate four Chinook and two Black Hawk helicopters to evacuate people from the northwest's Swat Valley and carry aid there. Around 85 U.S. soldiers are involved, though the rain has limited their flights.
Also helping in the relief effort are Islamist charities, including the Falah-e-Insaniat Foundation, which Western officials believe is linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba. Lashkar is the militant group blamed for the 2008 attacks in Mumbai, the financial capital of India, Pakistan's regional archrival.
The Falah-e-Insaniat Foundation says it is running 12 medical facilities, providing cooked food for 100,000 people every day, and plans to open shelters soon.
"The magnitude of this tragedy is so severe, and the area affected is so vast, that the government alone cannot meet the needs of such a large number of affectees," said Atique Chauhan, a spokesman for the foundation. "The U.S. efforts for rescue and relief are good, and we will appreciate help from all of humanity, whether it is the U.S. or even India."
Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani appealed for national unity during the crisis.
"I request that all the political parties be united and work together to help the flood victims," he told reporters on Saturday, adding that the government is doing everything it can to move people to safer ground.
"The next two days are very critical in this regard," Gilani said. "Our top priority is to rescue people, to save their lives. But we will also provide them all facilities, and we will work for their rehabilitation."