Chamber president urges support for floods appeal

THE president of Birmingham Chamber of Commerce and Industry has appealed to the city’s business community to come together with the whole of the Asian community to support the Pakistan floods appeal.

Paul Bassi, an Indian Sikh, said: “I feel it is important for everyone in the region’s Asian and business communities to unite behind the people of Pakistan to help alleviate the suffering this tragedy has caused.

“I know many companies are having to cope with difficult economic times of their own but I believe this is a situation where everyone should help.”

The flooding has claimed more than 1,600 victims and the United Nations has now raised its forecast of the number of people affected to 15m. Over 100,000 stranded people have been rescued from flooded communities by the army.

The amount raised by the British public so far to help flood victims has topped the £5m mark, UK charities have said.

But it came as the UN warned that Pakistan would need billions of dollars to recover from the devastation, further straining a country already dependent on foreign aid to prop up its economy.

Ongoing deluges have hampered the relief operation, grounding helicopters intending to rescue those threatened by expanding rivers over the weekend.

Officials said at least 53 people were killed in landslides in northern Pakistan, adding to the estimated death toll from the heavy rains in the worst-hit north west part of the country.
Millions in the affected area have been left homeless or are living in cramped and squalid conditions while awaiting assistance.

The Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) said 300,000 people had already been provided with emergency care, clean water, food or shelter as a result of British aid.

Mr Bassi said he was making a significant donation from the Bond Wolfe Charitable Trust and encouraged businesses to donate. The most direct route is through www.dec.org.uk