Pakistan may resume trade with India to tide over food crisis, flood

Story by Aasha Khosa | Posted by Aasha Khosa | Date 29-08-2022

Pakistanis salvaging their belongings in flood (Twitter)

New Delhi

A natural calamity like an unprecedented flood could help in breaking the ice between India and Pakistan and lead to the resumption of trade by Pakistan to help itself with the grim situation of floods and exorbitant food prices.

The hint that his country is considering the idea of resumption of trade with India was given by Pakistan’s Finance Minister Miftah Ismail. He told media persons in Pakistan that he would consider reopening trade with India to address the “Flood and food price hike"

This comes at a time when Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expressed his sadness on the devastation caused by the flood in Pakistan. Taking to Twitter, Modi said:

Saddened to see the devastation caused by the floods in Pakistan. We extend our heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims, the injured, and all those affected by this natural calamity and hope for an early restoration of normalcy.

Saddened to see the devastation caused by the floods in Pakistan. We extend our heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims, the injured and all those affected by this natural calamity and hope for an early restoration of normalcy.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 29, 2022

As millions of people across Pakistan are battling what is being termed the country's worst monsoon floods in around a decade, the country has declared a national emergency to deal with the situation.

Floods have affected more than 33 million people and millions of acres of fertile farmland stand submerged under flood waters. The Indus River is feared to be on the verge of breaking its embankments with torrential rains affecting most parts of the country.

Pakistan Minister in charge of Climate Change Sherry Rehman posted this video of her visit to a Sindh area in a boat on Twitter:

Khairpur by boat. Most of Sindh is under water.The crops are gone,lives ruined, livelihoods wiped out, roads swept away, houses destroyed or barely standing. The Navy is also deployed in inland Sindh and Balochistan.Where to pump/drain the water? There’s water everywhere. 🇵🇰 pic.twitter.com/CuaIaP6hNH
— SenatorSherryRehman (@sherryrehman) August 29, 2022

"We will open a trade route with India because of this flood and food price hike," Ismail was quoted as saying by local media reports.

Pakistan floods and rains have killed at least 1500 people and most of them are children. Journalists who cover the region say the toll will be higher as report frm interior areas are not avilable right now.

Country's foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari made appeal to the international community for humanitarian help. He also said on Twitter:

🇵🇰 is devastated by floods, 1,500+ people killed, 33 million affected, 4 provinces Pakhtunkhwa, south Punjab, Balochistan & Sindh. People have lost everything. Every Pakistani should be doing all they can to help their fellow citizens. 1/5 🧵
— BilawalBhuttoZardari (@BBhuttoZardari) August 29, 2022

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People in Pakistan are facing acute shortages and high prices of food. Tomato, for example, is selling at Rs 500 a kilo and lemon at Rs 400 a kilo. Balochistan and Sindh are the worst affected provinces of Pakistan by the floods.