Photo Courtesy / Salman Ghazzali

According to reports by the United Nations (UN), approximately 20 million people (12 per cent of Pakistan’s population) have been adversely influenced by the catastrophe: with 1, 600 killed, 14 million displaced and 800,000 who are completely marooned from the outside world and can only be approached by air.

The magnitude of financial damage is estimated to be U.S. $43 billion including U.S. $4 billion of structural damages and U.S. $2.4 billion of agricultural losses. Most of the areas in Sindh, Balochistan, southern Punjab and Khyber-Pakthunakhwa have been submerged and many villages are still under threat.

Of the 14 million displaced, six million include infants and pregnant mothers. The remains concern regarding the outbreak of water-borne diseases (i.e. cholera, gastroenteritis and typhoid).

The Pakistani Students Federation (PSF) at UTSC has been profoundly active in gathering funds for people affected by the floods. An ‘iftar’ (post-fast meal) dinner was organized by PSF in August where the UTSC community donated generously for people in need.

“We had set a target of collecting around $2, 000,” says Atif Latif, vice-president of PSF and a third-year management student. “But we ended up raising over $3,000. We are extremely grateful to the UTSC community for their generosity and their faith in us.”

Donations were given to PSF president, Salman Ghazzali, who visited the affected areas in Muzzafargarh (a small district in southern Punjab) and actively participated in relief efforts.

“Before visiting the areas I did some research. I found out that people were in an urgent need of consumer goods such as stitched clothes, dry milk, mineral water, medicines, energy biscuits etc.,” Ghazzali says. “I used the money raised during iftar dinner together with an extra $500 donated from [the] club’s personal account to purchase these items.”

Ghazzali has also made an appeal to the entire UTSC community to offer more support for the people who are rendered homeless. Undoubtedly, the level of damage caused by the flood is unimaginable. However, Mohammad Abdullah and Salman Ali, two active members of PSF who spearheaded the organization of the iftar dinner at UTSC, commend the efforts of those who continue to provide help to those in need.

“We know that the situation is grave, as we went back home on Eid. People are deprived of their basic necessities. Some of the people have lost everything they had,” said Abdullah. “But we were equally amazed by the fervor and enthusiasm demonstrated by the volunteers participating in relief activities. They were prepared to risk their lives to save those of others. With this attitude, it won’t be long for the situation to return to normal.”

The number of people affected by the recent floods in Pakistan exceeds the combined total of individuals hit by 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami, 2005 Kashmir Earthquake and 2010 Haiti Earthquake. The individual efforts of PSF in UTSC are commendable, but there is a dire need for more active engagement from the international community.