KARACHI: The top International Monetary Fund (IMF) official in Pakistan said on Saturday his organization is assessing flood damage and will use its next review mission to evaluate appropriate policy responses to support affected people and strengthen national resilience.
The flooding during the monsoon season that began in late June has killed 972 people across Pakistan, according to the National Disaster Management Authority. The northwestern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has been the hardest hit, with 504 fatalities, many from severe cloudbursts in mid-August.
Meanwhile, in eastern Punjab, swollen rivers including the Ravi, Chenab and Sutlej overflowed after unprecedented rains upstream in India, submerging settlements, destroying crops and leading to more than 100 deaths.
Over 2.5 million people have been rescued, and about 4,700 settlements inundated. The government has signaled relief initiatives for victims but must discuss them with the IMF due to its $7 billion Extended Fund Facility (EFF) agreement secured last year.
“We extend our heartfelt condolences to the people of Pakistan as they endure the devastating floods," said Mahir Binici, Resident Representative of the IMF in Pakistan. "We are deeply saddened by the tragic loss of life.”
