The Secretary-General of the United Nations, Kofi Annan is currently attending the International Donors conference in Islamabad, and as time runs out for so many caught in Pakistan’s freezing cold winter World Vision has announced that it is joining five of the largest international humanitarian aid organisations operating in the region.
The Pakistan relief effort has continued to issue its emergency appeal for increased funds so that thousands can be saved in Kashmir and the Northwest Frontier Province (NWFP).
The International Rescue Committee, Catholic Relief Services (CRS), World Vision, Save the Children, CARE International in Pakistan, and Mercy Corps have called for members of the Conference to focus and not neglect the immediate needs of this region, even though a longer-term strategic focus has been scheduled for the conference.
The aid agencies warned that as the winter arrives, a second deadly wave of casualties is likely to be brought about if nothing drastic is done to help the region.
Chris McDonald, World Vision’s emergency officer said, “The international community must take action immediately to save the lives of 160,000 people still living above the snow line in remote mountain villages. We are short of money and emergency supplies. This is a situation that can be turned around but the world must respond now.”Certain parts of Kashmir and the NWFP have already experienced the first snows of winter, and World Vision declare that the “window for responding to the crisis is closing rapidly.”
A huge hole is the amount of funding required for relief has been the major problem for aid workers, and thousands are being left without any significant shelter to survive the winter.
A long-term recovery strategy has been quickly put in place in the region by the government in Pakistan and the donor communities, however humanitarian aid workers are urging for greater assistance to arrive.
