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Deadliest flood of the century.Overseas Pakistanis need to read this!!!!!!

PIA OFFICIAL CALL: http://www.piac.com.pk/PIA_PolicynTerms/PIA_Flood_Relief.asp

PIA Cargo offices in Europe: http://www.rahber.org/floodrelief/piacargoeurope.html

Saamia Khan (UK): It's official now.This is the worst catastrophe that has hit Pakistan and this whole region in recorded history.Pakistan is just 63 but this region is thousands of years old.It may even be the worst in the world.It's a crisis that's still unfolding and it's hard to completely fathom what hit us. This tragedy is worse than the 2004 tsunami, 2005 Pakistan & 2010 Haitian earthquake combined! Yet the response from the international community is shamefully slow. More than 15 million (reports saying it's reaching 20 million) people are homeless and in need of immediate help.We have lost 1,387,000 acres of crops (and increasing) and hundreds of thousands of live stock. Pakistan will see a food crisis for the next 2 years if the situation is not handled immediately and aid not provided in time. This is where overseas Pakistanis and all others from around the world who want to help, need to step in fast.

People in Pakistan, ALL government and non governmental organisations are busy in relief work and there's no dearth of either the will to step up or donate BUT there's a serious danger that in an over zealous attempt to help (no doubt with the best of intentions) food items in the form of wheat,Rice,Grains and others might become short in the market in the coming months as there aren't any crops left to reap and keep the supply coming. This could prove to be another disaster for the rest of the country and of course most importantly for the poor. So here's what overseas donors need to do.

1) Don't send money,send food packed in boxes. (Details below)

2) Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) is shipping all food donations for free from around the world.Deliver your food donations to your nearest PIA Cargo offices and it'll reach the relief workers here within 36 hours.

3) Don't send raw food like flour,rice,grains etc FOR NOW.These will be required once the victims are settled in tent cities with working kitchens and enough cooking utensils and other items necessary to cook food at the sites.

Items to put in 1 box to feed one family of 4 to 5 people.

Please try to get a 15'x15' box with a depth of 12 inches .If not possible,just make sure it's a medium size box which is easy to carry and transport for the workers. Food items should include:

* A medium size packet of dates.

* 4-6 packets of saltish chips/crisps.

* A box of sweet and saltish biscuits each.

* A box of chocolates.

* 10-12 small juice packs WITH STRAWS.

* One 1.5 litre bottle of water.

* 12 disposable glasses.

* 4 -6 sachets of ORS.

* 1 medium size pack of dry milk.

* 2-4 packs of sanitary pads for women.

* A bottle of mosquito/insects repellent.

Please remember that there are more than 3.5 million children in serious danger due to this tragedy as they face malnutrition and seasonal diseases.Please donate as much as you can and as fast as possible. Please go to your Notes page and copy paste this in your own profiles.Share it as much as possible.We need to spread the word.

Thanks a lot. God bless all.

Update from Suleman Shahid:

PIA Cargo: http://www.piac.com.pk/PIA_Cargo/pia-Cargo.asp

PIA Cargo Booking (local offices): http://www.piac.com.pk/PIA_Cargo/pia-Cargo_BC.asp