Pak minister Bilawal Bhutto seeks help to recover from floods
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Islamabad: Pakistan's Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said the country is in an "incredibly difficult position" after the floods and sought help from the world. He was speaking ahead of the UN conference next month.
He added that the South Asian nation is trying to manage its macroeconomic indicators with the IMF and provide imminent relief for the people. "Unfortunately, the cameras have gone, the attention has disappeared, but there are still floodwaters in many areas of my country," he told Bloomberg TV.
"The entire unity government agrees that it's important for us to deal with international financial institutions. We want to see the fundamental reform that's required for the overall health of our economy. But at the moment, our number one priority has to be helping these people who are in extreme, extreme distress in the short, medium, and long term," he added.
About the IMF loan delay, the resident representative in Pakistan Esther Perez Ruiz said the organisation has asked for details on how much the government will spend on rehabilitation after the floods. The IMF hinted that the discussions have been productive.
Pakistan is facing a dollar shortage and delays in its loan programme with the IMF after the floods because investors are concerned about its ability to pay off the debt. The summer flood killed over 1,700 people and inundated a third of the nation. It has also cut the country's growth by 50% and caused damages worth $32 billion.
The UN and Pakistan government urged the international community to help the population survive the effects of the flood and raised only 30% of the requested $816 million. Julien Harneis, UN resident and humanitarian coordinator in Pakistan, said they will seek more funds at the UN conference scheduled for Jan 9, 2023.