KARACHI: The Edhi Foundation, the largest charity in Pakistan, pleaded with the government on Friday to overturn a long-standing ban on a number of foreign NGOs so they can assist with relief operations after devastating floods.
Floods that have killed at least 1,208 people, wrecked infrastructure, and submerged 2 million acres of agricultural land have been brought on by record monsoon rainfall and melting glaciers in northern Himalayas.
According to Faisal Edhi, head of the Edhi Foundation, “I call to the government to quickly relax the prohibition on the international NGOs for one year so they may aid people.”
International NGOs were subject to a crackdown by Pakistan about ten years ago after they were charged with “anti-state activities” there. By 2018, a handful of them had received formal requests to leave due to new, tougher rules.They should be allowed to go back, according to Eidhi.
When Pakistan was struck by severe earthquake in 2005 and floods in 2010, international NGOs were present on the ground and actively engaged in relief and recovery efforts.Given the enormous size of the recent floods, the administration is having trouble responding to them.
After spending nine days in the flood-affected districts, Edhi made his way back to the port city of Karachi and assessed the situation as hopeless.
