By IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistan has appealed for international assistance following floods in Sindh province even as Rs.5 billion that it collected for flood victims last year lies unutilised, a media report said.
Floods in Sindh have left about 250 dead, impacted over seven million people and caused extensive damage.
Dawn said that the government has launched an appeal for $356 million assistance for flood-hit people even though it has not utilised Rs.5 billion collected for flood victims last year.
Islamabad was reluctant to release the amount for relief and rescue operation despite efforts made by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).
In 2010, Pakistan was hit by an unprecedented flood, which claimed over 2,000 lives and affected some 20 million people.
Former NDMA chairman Gen (retd) Nadeem Ahmed said an amount of Rs.5 billion was not used and it was lying with the government due to bureaucratic hitches.
“I brought the issue to the knowledge of decision-makers but the funds were not released,” Ahmed was quoted as saying.
Pakistan now wants $33 million so that it can be spent on water and sanitation, food and shelter.