KARACHI
Humanitarian and Hollywood actor Angelina Jolie visited the National Flood Response Coordination Center (NFRCC) on Wednesday and expressed solidarity and support for the flood-affected people in Pakistan.
“I feel overwhelmed but I feel it is not fair to say that since I am not living this,” she said while speaking on the occasion.
The actor is visiting Pakistan these days to help and support flood-affected people in the South Asian country.
Heavy rains and floods across Pakistan have impacted around 33 million people and brought one-third of the country underwater. The actor, who previously visited the country to support the people affected by the 2010 floods, and the 2005 earthquake, is visiting this time to witness and gain an understanding of the situation in flood-hit areas of the country.
Jolie may stay in Pakistan for a couple of days and will hear from flood victims directly about their needs, and about steps to prevent such suffering in the future.
She asked the world community to “do more” to help the flood-devastated country, saying her heart is with Pakistan and she will continue raising her voice to attract the world’s attention to Pakistan for flood relief efforts.
“I’ve never seen anything like this before,” the UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador said.
Jolie praised Pakistan for “the generosity that the Pakistani people have shown to the people of Afghanistan over the years” as a host country, appreciating the role of the Pakistani government and people in helping Afghan nationals who fled their country due to decades of armed conflicts.
The Hollywood actor said she is with Pakistan in “pushing the international community to do more” for the flood-hit communities in the country. She was of the opinion that the level of flood devastation is very different and termed a “wake-up call” to the world.
Climate Change
Inviting the world’s attention to the issue of climate change, she said the threat is “not only real, it’s not only coming, it’s very much here”.
Expressing her serious concern over the devastation by the flood in Pakistan, she said as a humanitarian aid worker, she believes that Pakistan is in a critical situation where “needs are so overwhelming and truly every effort is either life or death for so many people”.
The actor also appreciated the role of the Pakistan Army in relief and rescue efforts in the country’s flood-hit areas, saying that Pakistan Army is more aid to the affected people. But, she added, there is a need for more aid for the flood-affected people as there are so many more to be rescued and many malnourished children to cater to.
Pointing out that winter is just around the corner, Jolie said more needs to be done for the flood victims.
“I am here as a friend to Pakistan. I really can’t imagine what it feels like to be there. My heart is very much with people at this time,” the actress, who earlier in the day, visited flood-hit areas in Dadu district of the country Sindh province.
In Dadu, the humanitarian aid worker met with flood victims, especially women, according to a press release issued by the International Rescue Committee. She visited the flood-ravaged areas to gain an understanding of the situation. Jolie, who arrived in Pakistan to extend support for flood relief work, was briefed by Pakistani officials on the flood situation in the country.
Ms Angelina Jolie arrived in Pakistan to show solidarity and support for flood victims. She visited National Flood Response Coordination Centre (NFRCC) today.
— Government of Pakistan (@GovtofPakistan) September 21, 2022
Mr Ahsan Iqbal Deputy Chairman NFRCC welcomed Ms Jolie and thanked her for visiting Pakistan. pic.twitter.com/Nt93ZDhaIX
