PESHAWAR: UN Humanitarian Coordinator in Pakistan Fikrat Akcura said that there was dearth of funding for provision of required support to the IDPs, which could adversely affect plight of the violence-hit people.

The world community should come forward and respond immediately to the UN appeal of $543 million in humanitarian assistance, which the organisation made on May 22, he said.

‘I am not satisfied with the funds we have received in response to UN appeal. From September 2008 till now we have received only $88 million, while the influx of displaced persons has increased manifold during past few weeks,’ the UN representative said, while talking to media persons during his visit to Mardan on Friday.

‘Time is decisive factor in the present situation and the pledged support must reach by June so that the relief activities can be properly managed,’ he remarked.

Fikrat Akcura said, ‘To help the IDPs, UN is spending $2 million per day and the international community should come to our support,’ adding that, ‘if it does not arrive the world community would have failed to support the crisis in Pakistan.’

He said that the World Health Organisation (WHO) was actively involved in polio and measles vaccination in all IDP camps.

Fikrat Akcura said that last year 35 million children were administered polio drops.

The UN representative also visited a school at Baghdada where the government had established an IDP camp.

He also visited host families in the nearby village of Bakhshali. Fikrat Akcura said that it was observed that the IDPs living in remote areas were not even registered and were deprived of UN assistance.

Fikrat Akcura also visited a food distribution hub at Sang-e-Marmar where he witnessed the distribution process.

He said that there was complete coordination among various UN agencies as well as provincial and federal government but, what they needed was financial resources.

Fikrat Akcura said, ‘It is very sad that we are not able to determine the state of people who are trapped in the fighting zone. We don’t know how many they are, but they are in dire need of assistance. We cannot reach out to them due to worsen security situation.’