- Advertisement -
ISLAMABAD, Aug 22 (APP):The United Kingdom has pledged £1.33 million in humanitarian assistance to support Pakistan in coping with the devastating impact of this year’s monsoon season. The aid package, announced on Friday, is expected to benefit more than 223,000 people across seven flood-hit districts in Punjab, Gilgit-Baltistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The support will fund a wide range of emergency and recovery interventions, including the distribution of dry food rations, deployment of search and rescue teams, establishment of mobile medical camps, rehabilitation of damaged drinking water systems, restoration of irrigation channels, and assistance for livelihoods and agriculture in affected areas.
British High Commissioner to Pakistan, Jane Marriott CMG, OBE, said the UK was working closely with Pakistan’s authorities to ensure rapid relief for affected communities. “Through UK-funded programmes, vital assistance is reaching communities affected by flooding and landslides. Working closely with national and provincial authorities and partners, the UK remains committed to strengthening Pakistan’s disaster response and resilience,” she stated.
As part of this support, the UK has trained 2,400 community volunteers across vulnerable districts for search and rescue operations. Twenty-five of these volunteers from Charsadda have joined Rescue 1122 in Buner, where they are helping locate missing persons and evacuate families trapped under debris.
Mobile medical camps are being deployed in areas where health facilities have been damaged, ensuring residents maintain access to essential healthcare. Displaced families are also receiving non-food items, food supplies, temporary shelter materials, and dignity kits for women. At the same time, coordinators from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN OCHA) are working with humanitarian organisations in Swat and Buner to streamline relief efforts and ensure aid reaches those in urgent need.
In addition to immediate relief, the UK is also investing in Pakistan’s long-term disaster preparedness. Through its Subnational Governance programme, implemented by UNDP, the UK is supporting the Government of Sindh to bolster its disaster readiness. Initially piloted in Thatta, Naushero Feroz, and Jamshoro, the programme has led to the Sindh government allocating funds to strengthen Disaster Risk Reduction Wings at both provincial and district levels.
A new disaster preparedness dashboard has also been developed and handed over to the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA). The system integrates district-level data, including safe shelter locations, medical supply inventories, and emergency equipment, to enable faster, more coordinated responses in future crises.
High Commissioner Marriott also highlighted the role of Pakistan’s search and rescue workers in a post on social media, praising the courage of volunteers trained with UK support. The UK has historically been among Pakistan’s key humanitarian partners, especially during flood disasters.
This latest commitment underscores London’s pledge to continue working with Pakistan to build resilience against increasingly frequent and severe climate-related disasters.