ABU DHABI, 25 September / WAM / Last August, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan was hit by the worst devastating flood disaster, which caused great human and material losses, affecting more than 33 million people, and submerged the equivalent of one third of Pakistan’s area.
According to the latest statistics issued by the National Disaster Management Authority of Pakistan, this disaster resulted in the death of more than 1,569 people, including 552 children, the injury of more than 13,000 people, the displacement of about 7 million people outside their areas, and 5,500 schools were used as shelters for the affected people.
This disaster contributed to the spread of a high rate of diseases due to drinking contaminated water, such as diarrhea, malaria, chest infection, skin diseases, eye inflammation and dengue fever. Nearly 1.9 million homes were damaged and destroyed, and more than 12.7 thousand kilometers of roads were washed away. It also destroyed and fell 390 vital bridges, and destroyed 24,000 schools and educational institutes, and 1,460 health centers, in addition to the destruction of millions of hectares of land and agricultural crops, and the death of 936,000 heads of livestock, according to statistics issued by the National Disaster Management Authority of Pakistan.
Since late 2010, after the devastating flood disaster swept the Islamic Republic of Pakistan in that year, the United Arab Emirates, under the directives of the late Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, “may God rest his soul”, and the follow-up of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the State May God protect him.” His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Presidential Court, has supported many humanitarian and development initiatives to support and assist the Pakistani people and alleviate their suffering, through the implementation and completion of more than 200 vital development projects for the population of the regions and areas affected by the flood disaster in Pakistan, which included the areas of roads, bridges, health, education, water and agriculture.
And this year, with the renewed occurrence of the devastating flood disaster, and millions of Pakistani families were exposed to suffering, danger, fear, injuries, and lack of food and medicine, the Emirati development projects in the flood-affected regions such as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Baluchistan provinces have proven their high quality, multiple benefits and great and lasting benefit to the residents of those areas, thanks to The vision, approach and humanitarian principles that were adopted during the planning and implementation stages, leading to a high-end achievement with advanced specifications and modern and integrated equipment, as each of the Emirati hospital projects contributed to receiving the injured and injured as a result of the disaster and providing them with treatment, emergency rescue and medicine, and road and bridge projects contributed to saving millions of people By facilitating safe movement on roads and bridges between the affected areas, preventing transportation interruptions and sustaining relief and ambulance operations, Emirati schools have also provided an exceptional benefit by using their buildings as shelters for affected and displaced families and their children.
His Excellency Abdullah Khalifa Al Ghafli, Director of the UAE Project to Aid Pakistan, said that the development projects that have been accomplished in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan during the past years represent a translation of the directives of the wise leadership of the United Arab Emirates under the leadership of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the State, “may God protect him”, and with the follow-up and support From His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Presidential Court, who was constantly keen on adopting many humanitarian initiatives within the framework of giving, solidarity and solidarity with the Pakistani people and with a vision that aspires to alleviate their human suffering, provide them with a decent life and develop infrastructure facilities in their areas.
He pointed out that the Emirati project to help Pakistan, since 2011, has pursued a large development plan to serve the community and residents of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and tribal regions, and Baluchistan, in addition to the capital, Islamabad, with the aim of providing them with a decent life and contributing to the advancement, development and progress of civilization in their regions, by implementing vital projects in The areas of roads, bridges, education, health, water provision and agriculture, in addition to the implementation of several humanitarian aid campaigns, which included the distribution of food aid and shelter tents for the poor, needy and displaced populations, and the implementation of polio vaccination campaigns for 9 consecutive years since 2014.
Al-Ghafli said that the impact of the devastating floods that occurred in Pakistan at the end of last month was severe, catastrophic and harsh, and the UAE development projects had a positive and tangible impact in protecting the residents of the areas where the projects are located, and reducing the effects of the flood disaster on them, their children and their property, as with the negative repercussions To the floods, the availability of health care, medical services and first aid, contributed to the success of more than 12 hospitals and clinics that were built and equipped through the support and assistance of the UAE in various Pakistani provinces, in providing specialized health care and integrated medical services from treatment and medicine to the population with efficiency and competence, and among the most prominent of these hospitals Which contributed to the rescue and treatment of the wounded, injured and sick during the flood disaster, Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan Hospital in Sido Sharif city, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Hospital in South Waziristan, Bajaur Hospital, hospitals in Balochistan Province, and the Pakistani-Emirati Military Hospital in the capital, Islamabad. .
The Emirati road and bridge projects, with their solidity and strong immunity in the affected areas, also helped in the perpetuation and continuity of the movement of transit, transport and communications. Ambulance efforts and the delivery of food, food and medical supplies and tents to the affected people quickly and safely during the massive flood wave. This is due to the distinction of constructing and building these bridges in accordance with the latest technical and engineering specifications and international standards, which are represented in their ability to resist the effects of earthquakes, floods and water currents at the highest levels.
The Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan Road in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, the Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan Road in South Waziristan, and the Emirati-Pakistani Friendship Road linking the regions of South and North Waziristan, also contributed to the process of connecting and transporting local residents between villages and cities that It experienced difficulties in communicating with the main areas, and had a major role in assisting the efforts of transporting the sick and injured to hospitals and clinics quickly and safely, and delivering relief convoys to the targeted areas.
His Excellency Abdullah Al-Ghafli stressed that the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the State, “may God protect him”, the follow-up and support of His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Presidential Court, and their humanitarian vision of the Emirati project to help Pakistan drew exceptional principles for the planning approach humanitarian and development work, and defined the goals and path of distinguished and advanced achievement with a high level of efficiency, quality, commitment and accuracy with international and modern standards for integrated vital projects, which had a great impact and a fundamental role for the successful implementation of more than 200 development projects in a distinct and pioneering manner in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, in the finest form Solidarity, solidarity, moral cohesion and material support for the poor and needy groups of assistance and humanitarian aid, embodying the depth of the distinguished historical relations that bind the two countries at all political, economic and social levels.
The residents of the flood-affected areas expressed their thanks and appreciation to the United Arab Emirates and its wise leadership, and to the general public for the great role that the Emirati development projects have achieved in their areas in reducing the repercussions of the flood disaster and their contribution to protecting them and protecting their children and property, as Dr. Tariq Khan, Head of the Emergency Department at Sheikh Hospital, explained Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan in the city of Seydou Sharif that this department plays an important role in providing treatment, as we have received many injuries and wounded due to floods, in addition to the increase in the emergence of diseases related to contaminated water such as diarrhea, malaria, and dengue fever.
He pointed out that the hospital received critically injured cases from neighboring cities and villages such as Madyan, Kalam and Bahrain village and provided them with the necessary treatment, in addition to moving medical teams from the hospital to the affected and afflicted areas, consisting of doctors, ambulances and medicines, praising the leadership of the United Arab Emirates that established this The hospital is to help the Pakistani government as well as to help the people of these areas especially during crises and disasters.
On the Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Bridge, on the Swat River, the Pakistani citizen Arshad Khan pointed out that during the 2010 floods the old weak bridge was demolished and destroyed, so the United Arab Emirates built this beautiful bridge as well as the Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan Bridge. Both bridges have their solidity and strength during these floods.
Pakistani citizen Fadl Karim said, “Praise be to God, this bridge is strong, and we were afraid of the high water level, but praise be to God, the bridge was not affected, and we were not affected by the force of the floods. Leading the UAE to build this bridge and provide us with humanitarian aid.
On the Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan bridge over the Swat River, the Pakistani citizen stressed that Khan showed the great benefit and importance of the bridge during these floods, because of its height, as the water level was much higher than the normal rate, but because of the height of the bridge we survived.
Pakistani citizen Liaquat Khan said in 2010 there was a weak and small bridge here that was destroyed during the floods, then the United Arab Emirates built this bridge for us with more solidity, high quality and strong.
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