Pakistan’s ‘First Responders’ Citizens Models of Solidarity, Courage in Floods’ Aftermath, Secretary-General Says, Urging World to Follow Example of Generosity

Following are UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ remarks, during his field visit in Pakistan, to “first responders” citizens who volunteered to help their community in the floods’ aftermath, in Larkana, today:

I was extremely impressed by what you have told us today. You have shown an enormous courage, an enormous generosity and you are true symbols of solidarity.

I can imagine each one of you, with the monsoon coming, with great stress, your house destroyed and you in danger.  You were able not only to think about yourselves, but to think about the others, and to help rescue the others.  That is a fantastic example for the world.

I had, during my visit, excellent briefings by the different centres in Islamabad, in Sukkur and in my visit to Balochistan.  I heard all the numbers:  the number of people that died, cattle that died, number of people needing assistance — all the numbers.  It was very well presented, which means that those that are coordinating the response know exactly what they are doing.

But your testimony is much more important.  It’s not about numbers.  It’s about people, about the farmers that have lost their crops, about those that have lost members of their family, about those that have seen their houses destroyed, about those that have lost their cattle, about those that have no money to pay the loans that they have contracted to be able to plant.  It was these people that each one of you was rescuing, helping to escape these horrible floods.

Unfortunately, now in the world, there are many people who are selfish and only think about themselves.  But I know if we use your example of solidarity, generosity and courage, to ask the world to have the same attitude in support of Pakistan, for Pakistan to be able to help all those I have described and that are suffering so much. 

You are helping your neighbour.  In the world — this is only one world — so the neighbours in general of Pakistan need to be as generous as you were with your neighbours.  Thank you very much for your work that was very important.