As Pakistan govt neglects millions of flood victims, Sindh activist calls on UN to step in

The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) has been alerted by a political activist from Sindh about the plight of millions of flood victims in Sindh who have been left to fend for themselves by the Pakistani government and are living in precarious circumstances.

Speaking during the 52nd Session of UNHRC, Lakhu Luhana, general secretary of the World Sindhi Congress, said: "The destruction caused by last year's mega floods and torrential rains is unprecedented in the recent history of Pakistan, impacting more than 30 million people and Sindh bearing more than 70 per cent of the losses, more than 20 million were impacted and more than 8 million became homeless in Sindh." 

WSC Secretary General Dr. Lakhu Lohano is speaking at UNHRC session for the flood victims of Sindh #Sindh #UnitedNations #Pakistan pic.twitter.com/TnWVtEdN8k

— WorldSindhiCongress (@sindhicongress)

"We sincerely believe that climate change is not the only cause but Pakistan's poor and corruption-ridden governance is a bigger cause. After six months, millions of Sindhi people remain homeless without any meaningful government support and suffering poverty, disease, uncertainty, malnutrition, and death," he informed the Council.

Lakhu Luhana said: "Pakistan is trying to cash the miseries of Sindhi people to get international aid, but we believe the Pakistani federal and provincial Governments do not want to rebuild devastated cities, towns, and villages of Sindh and lives of Sindhi people." 

He added that the UN and the International Community should conduct a comprehensive investigation into the causes and circumstances that led to this catastrophe, which has caused unprecedented devastation to the people of Sindhi. He also emphasised that all international funds should be overseen by the UN to ensure that aid reaches all the people of Sindh, including the vulnerable and hard-to-reach communities.

Pakistan’s floods a grim reminder of the future

The recent floods in Pakistan have been highlighted by the United Nations as a warning that the increasing climate changes will cause more disasters in the future. The UN's 2022 Year in Review report on Climate and Environment stated that some areas experienced water shortages, while severe floods impacted other regions during the same year.

"In Pakistan, a national emergency was declared in August, following heavy flooding and landslides caused by monsoon rains which, at the height of the crisis, saw around a third of the country underwater. Tens of millions were displaced," the report read. 

"The UN is hosting an international conference on Climate Resilient Pakistan in Geneva on January 9 to consider various options for supporting the country in dealing with the consequences of the changing climate,” according to Karachi-based Dawn.