Letter to the Readers, Mainstream, Sept 3, 2022

Letter to the Readers, Mainstream, September 3, 2022

Weather doesn’t know borders and most of all for immediate neighbours. The same monsoons bring rain to India, Pakistan, and all of South Asia. Floods are a yearly occurrence in the countries of the region. And this year too there was large scale flooding in the region. In recent years the intensity of rains and scale of floods, cyclones but also droughts have been getting extreme. Experts clearly see a link with climate change globally. This year Pakistan saw three times the amount of rain it normally gets, resulting in floods on a vast scale and leading to over 33 million people being displaced from their homes. This has further damaged the fragile economic situation of millions of people already impacted by a two-year economic slowdown and a large-scale public health impact due to covid19. The country has already been facing a difficult economic situation over recent years and seeking a bailout from International financial institutions. In the past six months, the Russia Ukraine war become another reason for rising inflation of food prices and oil prices across the region, but the devastating floods and displacement in Pakistan could now further trigger of a joint food and public health crises. This can cause immense misery and trigger distress migration could intensify into social storm and will require aid on a large scale. It is very important that India set aside all political differences aside and stand up as a responsible neighbour to aid the people of Pakistan in this hour of crisis. India should not wait and should offer to urgently send food, medicines, tents, water purifying systems, and agree to provide financial aid. Such an act on part of India will create immense goodwill among people of Pakistan and will be beneficial for the security of India. All social democratic and left parties in India must appeal to the Government of India to move swiftly to aid the flood-affected people of Pakistan.

September 3, 2022 - HK