By Susanne Mahrwald

Executive Summery

In July Pakistan was hit by a flood crisis of unexpected dimension. Against this background the Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung initiated a dialog with Pakistani and German representatives from politics, academics and the NGO sector on political and economic impacts of the flood and on current needs and challenges.

The impact of this natural catastrophe is disastrous: about 1.500 people died, hundreds of thousands of families lost their houses and huge parts of the country’s infrastructure were destroyed. The agricultural sector, Pakistan’s main source of income, was badly damaged. Moreover, the present crisis has a multiplying effect on the already existing crises including food, fuel, fiscal, democracy, terrorism and climate crisis.

Particularly the northwest of Pakistan, the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, is badly affected. After the flood struck the province with its full strength, the provincial government is now confronted with both a natural disaster and the impacts of the war on terror.

The government’s overall crisis management in general was considered, by observers, to be inefficient and corrupt. Although eventually governmental relief aid was provided, it was the military and militant groups that came to the people’s immediate assistance.

Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) has provided 35 Million Euro emergency aid to Pakistan and also restructured some ongoing development projects in order to meet the needs of the flood affected people particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Germany is also convinced that the Pakistan government is able and committed to support and assist its people, though it is not clear yet whether it uses own funds or whether it needs financial support  of the international community.