Boxer Amir Khan urges public to give to Pakistan Appeal
10th August 2010

British - Pakistani boxer Amir Khan has appealed to the British public to give generously to the DEC Pakistan Floods Appeal. The Appeal has now raised £7 million pounds but much more is needed to help the 14 million people affected by the worst floods to hit Pakistan in 80 years. Floodwaters have now moved south to the Sindh province and hundreds of villages have been flooded. Reports say the protective bund at Torhi in the province's north has been breached and several barrages and dams are under threat from floodwater. World-champion boxer Amir said: “My family comes from Pakistan so I really feel for the 14 million people affected. The DEC is doing a great job but we really need the public to donate more money as day by day it’s getting worse and worse.”

The DEC’s member agencies have now distributed aid to a total of 545,000 people affected. Floods have destroyed villages, crops and infrastructure and damaged some 290,000 homes. A total of 1,600 people have died. Disasters Emergency Committee Chief Executive Brendan Gormley said: “It is clear the British public realise that this is a humanitarian disaster on a huge scale. It is amazing that people are giving a million pounds a day nearly a week after we announced the appeal. But with heavy rains continuing we urgently need more donations to save lives.”

To make a donation to the DEC Pakistan appeal call the 24 hour hotline on 0370 60 60 900, visit www.dec.org.uk or donate over the counter at any post office or high street bank, or send a cheque. You can also donate £5 by texting the word GIVE to 70707 – see details below.

The DEC (Disasters Emergency Committee) consists of: Action Aid, Age UK, British Red Cross, CAFOD, CARE International UK, Christian Aid, Concern Worldwide, Islamic Relief, Merlin, Oxfam, Save the Children, Tearfund, World Vision.