PSI’s Asia Pacific Regional Executive passed a resolution and established a solidarity fund to support affiliates in Pakistan to address the devastating floods across Sindh and Balochistan provinces. The floods have displaced at least 7.9 million people, killed more than 1600, and damaged or destroyed more than 2 million houses and 1460 health facilities wiping out a large part of the country's agriculture. 

Frontline workers, including the Community Health Workers that PSI supports in Sindh province, are struggling to address the immediate crisis of injured and displaced people while the risks of water-borne diseases and limited medical supplies threaten to create further hardship. 

Unions across the country immediately responded to the crisis, delivering support to impacted workers and their communities and supporting emergency provisions and rebuilding. Unions are also calling on the international community to address the causes of the crisis – carbon emissions in the Global North – and to cancel Pakistan’s sovereign debt. 

PSI is currently working with affiliates and a Pakistani economist to develop policy proposals that address the sovereign debt and economic crisis while supporting workers and quality public services. The current crisis cannot be resolved without addressing the systemic drivers of the crisis – including the imposition of austerity policies on Pakistan by the International Monetary Fund and other creditors. 

PSI calls on affiliates to support the solidarity fund and to re-double our efforts to rapidly transition away from fossil fuels, particularly in OECD countries, and support the cancellation of Pakistan’s sovereign debt as part of climate reparations.

Contributions to the solidarity fund may be done via bank transfer:

Account name: Internationale des Services Publics (PSI)
Bank Name and Address: Banque CLER SA
Place de Longemalle 6-8
1204 GENEVE
Switzerland

Bank Account Number: 2986303106900
Swift Code: BCLRCHBBXXX
IBAN #: CH72 0844 0298 6303 1069 0
Currency: EURO