Caritas is growing increasingly concerned about the impact of increasing insecurity in Pakistan and its impact on humanitarian relief operations.
Over two and a half million people are thought to have fled from the North West Frontier Province as a result of clashes between the Pakistan army and Taliban forces.
Caritas
Internationalis is appealing for US $7 million to support 385,000 people who have fled their homes to avoid fighting in Pakistan.
The appeal was launched 1 June on behalf of the national
member Caritas Pakistan and other Caritas members operational there: Caritas Switzerland, CRS (a Caritas member in the USA), Trocaire (Caritas Ireland), and Cordaid (Caritas Netherlands).
The response to the urgent needs of the people has been so far inadequate.
Trocaire Regional Representative in Pakistan Paul Healy said, “The world has forgotten about
Pakistan. Or perhaps it is only thinking of this country in terms of ‘war on terror’ and bomb blasts. Innocent people who have been forced from their homes and are in
real need of food, shelter, medicine, and counseling.â€
Caritas says the humanitarian crisis would be even more severe if not for generosity and compassion of the local
people. Most of those who’ve fled have found shelter with families and only 15 percent are in camps.
Caritas member organizations are busy supplying packages of food, non
food items, hygiene kits and shelter materials. Caritas Pakistan has been able to provide mattresses, bedding and 2,400 tents to Christian, Hindu and Sikh minorities in Hassan Abdal and in Mardan
where they’ve taken refuge.
The security concerns are getting worse day by day as there have been suicidal attacks on the government offices and a hotel in Peshawar
used by foreigners.
For more information, please contact Patrick Nicholson on 0039 334 359 0700 or nicholson@caritas.va
[ Any views expressed in this article are those of the writer and not of Reuters. ]
An internally displaced man, who fled a military offensive in the Swat valley region, stands in line to collect his ration of tea at the UNHCR (United Nations High Commission for ...
