Flooding in Pakistan – Traidcraft statement

Mountain Fruits in Gilgit North East Pakistan supplies Traidcraft with apricots and almonds. They tell us that their community (and indeed all of Gilgit – Baltistan province) is cut off, has very limited food and poor power supplies.

Gilgit is connected to the capital Islamabad and the rest of Pakistan by the Karakorum highway. Several bridges have been destroyed on this main supply route and the road is expected to be blocked until mid-September.

Sher Ghazi the Chief Executive of Mt Fruits who is featured on both the new Apricot Geobar packet and p101 of the catalogue managed to get a message out on Monday 9 August (edited): Many villages have been damaged by the floods. In Gilgit town many homes and agricultural land is under water and most of the fresh fruits have been spoilt in the rains. There is no fuel, gas, or foodstuff in the market. We survive on only bread and local vegetables. I got power at midnight so I have opened my computer and writing this mail to you otherwise my mobile was out of charge due to prolonged power failure.

As yet we don’t know the full implications and communications are difficult we will continue to post updates as we receive them. Please keep the people of Pakistan in your prayers and anyone wishing to contribute to the relief effort can donate via the Disasters Emergency Committee.

Our thanks to Fullwell Mill for the information in this statement