Islamic Relief has met with the Prime Minister of Pakistan and top officials from Pakistan and the UK as we continue delivering life-saving aid to people affected by catastrophic flooding in Pakistan.

More than a thousand people have been killed and hundreds of thousands forced to flee their homes this monsoon season. Officials have said that one-third of Pakistan is now underwater after experiencing 2.9 times more rainfall than the 30-year average.

Islamic Relief has been on the ground in the provinces of Sindh, Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), and is working as part of the UK’s Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) to reach those most in need.

Islamic Relief Worldwide’s CEO Waseem Ahmad and Islamic Relief Pakistan’s Country Director Asif Sherazi met Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on 1 September to discuss the response to the flooding.

The prime minister praised Islamic Relief and promised his government’s fullest support for our efforts to support those affected by the unprecedented flooding.

During the meeting, Waseem emphasised the importance of planning for the next stage of support for those affected. He stressed that, following the immediate emergency response, the situation would require a long-term, continued rebuilding of people’s lives, livelihoods and infrastructure on a massive scale.