- Advertisement -
LAHORE, Oct 2 (APP):Ambassador of Belgium to Pakistan Idesbald van der Gracht visited flood-affected villages in Tehsil Sambrial of Sialkot to assess the extent of the damage, the conditions of the affected people and the challenges faced in rehabilitation.
Deputy Commissioner Sialkot Saba Asghar Ali gave a briefing on the damage caused by the floods and the rehabilitation measures.
The Belgian Ambassador inspected the flood-affected houses and crops. He spoke to the flood-affected people to inquire about their losses and the problems they were facing.
On this occasion, First Secretary of the Belgian Embassy Gilles Hachez, National Humanitarian Affairs Officer of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) Pakistan, Salim-ur-Rehman Sheikh, Assistant Commissioner, Samrial, Ghulam Fatima Bandial, and officials of local NGO Baidarie Prof. Arshad Mirza and Hina Noreen were also present.
Speaking to people in flood-damaged homes at Rakh Nowshera, Belgian Ambassador Idesbald van der Gracht said that the people of Pakistan bravely faced the natural disaster and their courage and spirit are commendable.
Belgian Ambassador said that he would inform the international forums about the plight of the flood-affected people and their needs.
He said that Belgium faced severe floods in 2020, but despite being a developed country, the rehabilitation of the victims was a challenge for them.
He gave the children footballs to play with.
Deputy Commissioner Saba Asghar Ali translated the ambassador’s speech into Punjabi for the local people.
The Belgian Ambassador visited the local NGO Baidarie camp where rations, hygiene kits and mosquito nets were being distributed to the local community.
At the end of the visit, the Belgian Ambassador inspected the site of the breach in the Chenab River near Khasa village and Shahbazpur bridge to further assessed the extent of the damage.
Earlier, Ambassador of Belgium to Pakistan Idesbald van der met with the Deputy Commissioner Saba Asghar Ali at her office. Representatives of local and international relief organizations involved in flood relief efforts also attended the meeting.
On this occasion, the Belgian Ambassador appreciated the efforts of NGOs and the district administration in effectively dealing with the emergency situation and welcomed their cooperation.