Minister for Planning, Development, and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal said Monday that it might take five years to rebuild and rehabilitate the nation, while in the near term it will be confronted with acute food shortages.
Unprecedented flash floods caused by historic monsoon rains have washed away roads, crops, infrastructure and bridges, killing more than 1,100 people in recent weeks and affecting more than 33 million, over 15% of the country’s 220 million population.
Sherry Rehman, the climate change minister, has called the situation a “climate-induced humanitarian disaster of epic proportions.”
To mitigate food shortfalls, Finance Minister Miftah Ismail said the country could consider importing vegetables from arch-rival India.
The two neighbouring countries have not had any trade for a long time.
“We can consider importing vegetables from India,” Ismail told Geo News, adding other possible sources of food imports included Turkey and Iran.
Food prices have already shot up due to flooded crops and impassable roads.
India Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was saddened by the devastation caused by the floods.