WEB DESK
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres Friday said that Pakistan had suffered “unprecedented” flood destruction and its losses stood at $30 billion and counting.
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Guterres — who is on a two-day visit to Pakistan – held a joint press conference with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Islamabad where he repeated his appeal for the international community’s “massive support” for Pakistan.
The UN secretary-general also said that the international community has an obligation to support Pakistan, especially the countries with higher greenhouse gas emissions.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif opened the press conference by thanking Guterres for his visit and his expression of solidarity and sympathy.
Sharif said that tens of millions of people were still stranded in Punjab, KP and Sindh provinces.
The UN secretary-general said that he was no stranger to Pakistan and had visited the country numerous times during the past 17 years.
Guterres said he not only visited Pakistan during its own crises but had also seen how Pakistanis helped Afghan refugees and shared their resources with them.
He said that the 2022 floods were an “unprecedented natural disaster.” There is no memory of such a large-scale calamity due to climate change, he said.
Families have lost their loved ones, crops, and jobs, he said.
Guterres appreciated “enormous efforts” from Pakistan’s civil administration, army, and people to help flood survivors.
He then made an appeal to the international community. “Pakistan needs massive financial support in this crisis that has cost, according to some estimates, around $30 billion and counting,” Guterres said.
The UN secretary-general said that Pakistan with its low level of emissions “never contributed meaningfully” to climate change and instead it was one of the “most dramatically impacted countries” by climate change.
It is essential that this is recognized by the international community especially countries that have contributed to climate change by mobilizing massive support, he said.
Shahbaz Sharif thanked the UN chief and said that every penny Pakistan gets will be spent with transparency.
