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‘Acute food insecurity to rise in Pakistan over next six months’

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Pakistan and 21 other crisis-hit countries will witness an increase in acute food insecurity over the next six months, according to a new early warning report issued by two Rome-based UN agencies.

The report by the World Food Programme (WFP) and the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) calls for urgent attention to save both lives and livelihoods. It covers the period from June to November 2023.

Called ‘Hunger Hotspots — WFP-FAO early warnings on acute food insecurity’, the report identified 18 hotspots with Afghanistan, Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan and Yemen placed at the highest alert level and Haiti, the Sahel (Burkina Faso and Mali) and Sudan elevated to the highest concern levels.

“Business-as-usual pathways are no longer an option in today’s risk landscape if we want to achieve global food security for all, ensuring that no one is left behind,” FAO Director-General QU Dongyu said in a statement.  

“We need to provide immediate time-sensitive agricultural interventions to pull people from the brink of hunger, help them rebuild their lives, and provide long-term solutions to address the root causes of food insecurity. Investing in disaster risk reduction in the agriculture sector can unlock significant resilience dividends and must be scaled up,” he added.

The report also highlighted the risk of a spill-over of the Sudan crisis raising the risk of neighbouring countries to negative impacts.

“Not only are more people in more places around the world going hungry, but the severity of the hunger they face is worse than ever,” WFP’s Executive Director Cindy McCain said in a statement.

“This report makes it clear: we must act now to save lives, help people adapt to a changing climate, and ultimately prevent famine. If we don’t, the results will be catastrophic,” McCain warned.

In addition, global economic shocks and stressors continue to drive “acute hunger” across almost all hotspots, the report added.

With unusually high global food prices, low to middle-income countries will likely be driven further into a deep crisis, it added.

Pakistan, the Central African Republic, Ethiopia, Kenya, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Syria and Myanmar, which has been included in the latest report for the first time, were described as hotspots of very high concern.

“All these hotspots have a large number of people facing critical acute food insecurity, coupled with worsening drivers that are expected to further intensify life-threatening conditions in the coming months,” the report warned.

Lebanon, El Salvador and Nicaragua have all been added to the list of hotspots since the last edition was published and El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua have been included in the report again.

To avert a further deterioration of acute hunger and malnutrition, the report provides concrete country-specific recommendations on priorities for an immediate emergency response to save lives, prevent famine and protect livelihoods, as well as anticipatory action.

Humanitarian action will be critical in preventing starvation and death – particularly in the highest alert hotspots, but the report notes how humanitarian access is constrained by insecurity, bureaucratic barriers, and movement restrictions – posing a major challenge to humanitarian responders around the globe.

The report also stresses the importance of strengthening anticipatory action in humanitarian and development assistance – ensuring predictable hazards do not become full-blown humanitarian disasters.

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“Apni Chhat.Apna Ghar”: Punjab’s Chief Minister Examines a House Under Construction

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Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif visited a home in Kot Lakhpat, Lahore, constructed under the “Apni Chhat Apna Ghar” Loan Scheme.

To give the home owner furniture, CM Punjab gave the order.

The walls on the three-marla plot have been finished, and the roof-laying process has begun.

Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif gave Subia Munir a roof and gave a check for the second installment of the house’s development.

Maryam Nawaz was happy to be able to offer the home owner her warmest wishes on this particular occasion.

She stated that every citizen has the right to own a home and that the government is dedicated to helping those in need.

Information and Security Minister Uzma Bukhari, Housing Minister Bilal Yasin, Senior Minister Maryam Aurangzeb, and other officials attended the event.

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148 X-ray machines have been allotted to the provinces as part of the comprehensive measures taken to eradicate tuberculosis. This is Dr. Mukhtar.

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TB is being eradicated across the country, according to Dr. Mukhtar Bharath, who is the Coordinator to the Prime Minister on National Health Services. He has stated that efforts are being implemented that are both coordinated and effective.

For the purpose of diagnosing and eliminating tuberculosis, he stated in a statement that 148 X-ray equipment had been allotted to the provinces.

133 X-Ray machines have been delivered up to this point, according to him, and the process of distributing the remaining devices is currently underway and will be finished in the near future.

Dr. Mukhtar Bharath stated that these equipment are going to be deployed in hospitals that provide services for the detection and treatment of tuberculosis that are available.

In order to strengthen the primary health care system, he says that all of the essential actions are being taken.

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Speech Made by Pakistan’s Prime Minister on the International Day Against Poverty

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In renewing our commitment to a world where no one is left behind and where possibilities for success are unrestricted by one’s origin or circumstances, Pakistan stands together with the global community on this International Day for the Eradication of Poverty. In addition to being morally right, ending poverty is essential to attaining sustainable development and guaranteeing everyone’s peace and prosperity.

The people have always been the center of every policy made by our government. We have significantly reduced poverty and made sure that our most vulnerable residents are taken care of thanks to our social safety net programs. We think that providing long-term routes to economic empowerment is equally as important as providing instant relief when it comes to assisting people in escaping poverty. Our focused initiatives seek to equip communities—women and children in particular—with the means to create better futures for themselves.

The Pakistani government is steadfast in its commitment to improving the affordability of living for its citizens despite the obstacles we face on a global scale, such as inflation and economic instability. Our policies are designed to build long-term economic resilience, from meeting housing needs to guaranteeing food security. With the help of programs like the PM Youth Business, Agriculture Loans, Digi-Skills, which offers free IT training, and the Pakistan Education Endowment Fund, millions of families are receiving financial support and technological help that is changing their lives.

Eradicating poverty is also a top priority for Pakistan, which is still fully committed to reaching the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). With a focus on inclusive growth, education, healthcare, and environmental sustainability, we will keep working together with our international partners to achieve these goals. The advancements made in empowering women and guaranteeing that their contributions are essential to the country’s social and economic fabric are another reason for pride.

On this day, I would want to express my sincere gratitude to everyone who is devotedly striving to end poverty, both in Pakistan and globally. We can create a future where everyone, regardless of circumstances, has the chance to flourish and succeed by uniting with a shared purpose and unwavering determination.

I speak on behalf of the Government of Pakistan to reiterate our steadfast commitment to this cause and to extend an invitation to all facets of society to work with us to create a world that is more wealthy, just, and inclusive.

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