PM calls on world community to ensure fair distribution of resources

• PM Shehbaz seeks sustainable peace, harmony in world.
• Urges int'l community to generously provide opportunity. 
• Says govt spent billions from its own resources during floods.

PARIS: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday urged the international community to come up with a plan for the fair, equitable and judicious distribution of resources to ensure sustainable peace and harmony in the world.

The premier made these remarks at the two-day New Global Financing Pact Summit in Paris where he called on the world to come forward to generously provide opportunity and assistance through a mechanism which satisfied the most vulnerable by having the bare minimum.

Pakistan is among other countries to contribute to the debate at the summit as a leading stakeholder in the global discourse, a leader in G-77 and China and one of the largest developing countries most affected by climate change.

"It will create harmony in terms of economic justice and fairness. It is never too late to say no to injustice," said the premier while speaking during the summit.

He said the North had made progress and they would look forward to implementing its experiences in Pakistan, providing jobs and livelihoods and promoting industry and agriculture by learning from its model of success.

“It must be remembered that if the South is in trouble the world can’t move ahead. We are like one body and if one limb of the body is in trouble it is painful for the rest of the body as well," he added.

'Govt spent millions of dollar from its own resources'

Recalling the devastating floods that ravaged Pakistan last year, the premier said that the country suffered from the catastrophe due to climate change. He said that in these floods 33 million people were affected, millions of acres of standing crops were washed away, 1,700 people including children died and half a million animals were drowned.

Two million houses were either completely demolished or partially damaged, he told the summit, adding that the people of Pakistan bravely faced the devastating impacts of the floods.

He said his government had to spend hundreds of millions of dollars from its own scarce resources to give financial assistance to the flood affectees all over the country.

“We are very grateful to friendly countries across the globe for the valuable and timely contribution,” said the prime minister.

He said the international financial institutions agreed to give loans to help the millions of people, but it would have burdened Pakistan, further exacerbating the already precarious financial situation.

PM Shehbaz said he took Secretary-General United Nations António Guterres to the flood-affected areas where city after city was sunk. Thousands of women gave birth to children in the camps set up for the flood affectees, he recalled adding in far-flung areas, the government had to provide food, medicine, water and education at temporary camps.

He said the people of Pakistan faced crises and problems in the past courageously and they would also overcome the adverse effects of the floods.

The premier appreciated French President Emmanuel Macron for organising the summit to discuss the very important subject related to financing issues of humanity.