Pakistan's Human Rights Commission laments apathy of govt, opposition towards flood devastation

Islamabad [Pakistan], August 23 : Lamenting the apathy of the Pakistan government and opposition towards flood devastations in the country, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) expressed grave concern at the loss of life and livelihoods wrought by floods across the country.
HRCP expresses grave concern at the loss of life and livelihoods wrought by floods across the country, especially in Balochistan, Sindh and southern Punjab.
The indifference of the federal and provincial governments and the political opposition is evident from their inability--even amid a growing death toll--to prioritise human life over confrontational politics, palace intrigue and dangerous rhetoric, said Hina Jilani, Chairperson of HRCP.
She urged the Pakistan Government and opposition to focus on flood impact and climate justice
In its press release in Lahore on Monday, HRCP said "This year's weather patterns must serve as an SOS to the state that Pakistan's survival in the long term is incumbent on its ability to begin to deliver climate justice to its people."
Jilani further advised the government to map the scale of destruction and urged them to urgently provide the affected persons with access to clean drinking water as well as basic food and medical supplies in the immediate term.
The state must prioritise the most vulnerable households and communities in this effort, including women, dependent children, persons living with disabilities, the sick, and the elderly, she added.
She further asked the government as well as all elected representatives to urgently implement well-conceived, practical measures to counter the food shortages, disease, displacement, and loss of livelihood caused by the floods.
The Pakistani Meteorological Department (PMD) forecasted "above-normal" rainfall in most parts of the country in August, warning that heavy downpours could trigger flash flooding in hilly areas of eastern Punjab and northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), reported The Express Tribune.
In its outlook for August, the PMD also warned of urban flooding in plain areas such as major cities of Sindh, Punjab and KP. "Due to extreme hydro-meteorological events over catchments, riverine floods cannot be ruled out," it added.
Amidst the ongoing devastation and wreckage caused by heavy rains and floods in different parts of Pakistan, the Federal Ministry for Climate Change in Pakistan has warned of more rains in the coming weeks as the federal cabinet declared a "monsoon emergency" in the country.
At least 549 people have died in Pakistan in the past month as a result of flash floods brought on by unusually strong monsoon rains, with rural areas in the province of Balochistan among the worst affected, reported The Express Tribune.
Aside from the fatalities, the flooding had damaged more than 46,200 houses, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) of Pakistan said.
According to the NDMA, the past month saw 133 per cent more rain than the 30-year average, making it the wettest in three decades.