Situation 'dire' after massive flooding in Pakistan, its ambassador tells Newsmaker

In a harrowing account of the recent catastrophic flooding that left his country one-third underwater, Ambassador Masood Khan of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan praised the global response to this devastation Friday and called on “the global North to take responsibility for [its] role in global warming.”

“The situation is dire,” he told a National Press Club audience at a hybrid Headliners Newsmaker event. Khan said his government is “sharply focused on rescue, relief operations,” and praised it for quickly mobilizing its resources and military rescue operations during the worst flooding in Pakistan history.

“We were prepared,” he said, “but this catastrophe was beyond our capacity.” But he admitted Pakistan could have done better: “We should have regulated our construction and banned housing creation on our riverbanks. Our infrastructure could have been better.”

“These unprecedented floods are a direct result of climate change," he said. "Their fury has not subsided as I speak to you.” 

Although it is the eighth most vulnerable country to flooding in the world, he noted that Pakistan makes virtually no contribution to global warming -- less than one percent (0.4%). 

Describing the devastation." Khan said the area of water in Pakistan now is as big as Wyoming, and the population affected is about 33 million -- comparable to California at 39 million.” He added that two million houses have been destroyed, around 6.6 million people need immediate assistance, more than 13,000 people are seriously injured and 1400 have died. 

He said a new lake has emerged in the Indus River, calling it as “a disaster within a mega-disaster” affecting directly about 100,000 according to some estimates.

“We started the year with forest fires,” and scorching heat waves followed, he said, pointing out that more moisture in the air led to heavy monsoon rains “that are 10 times higher than our national average.”

Ticking off the challenges his wounded nation faces, he said that so far more than 7,000 roads and 246 bridges have been destroyed, along with schools and hospitals; more than 800,000 farm animals have died; and water-borne illnesses prey on vulnerable people. Adding to the challenges, he said, tens of thousands of pregnant women are expected to give birth in Pakistan this year.  

Among Pakistan’s myriad needs, he said, are medical equipment and, medicines. He said the World Bank has repurposed $300 million for Pakistan disaster relief, and called the United States a "strong ally," having committed to long-term assistance and already given more than $31 million in assistance. Many other countries have provided aid, he said, as well as charitable organizations worldwide

During the question-and-answer period moderated by Club President Jen Judson after his remarks, in response to a question about the current status of Pakistan’s nuclear facilities, Khan told his audience they are secured.

Early in his remarks, the ambassador paused “to convey Pakistan’s condolences on the demise of Queen Elizabeth whom he called “an international icon, a very dignified monarch who rendered services to the United Kingdom and humanity at large.”

Pakistan is “proof positive that climate change kills people!” Khan said. “It destroys parts of humanity -- and it’s going to grow.”