Now Reading: World Bank warns Pakistan over housing aid diversion
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World Bank warns Pakistan over housing aid diversion
The World Bank has warned Pakistan that diverting funds from a resilient housing programme for flood-hit families in Balochistan to infrastructure projects could deepen poverty and increase disaster vulnerability. According to Dawn,…
The Story in Brief
The World Bank has warned Pakistan that diverting funds from a resilient housing programme for flood-hit families in Balochistan to infrastructure projects could deepen poverty and increase disaster vulnerability. According to Dawn, 84% of eligible beneficiaries are ultra-poor, with 28% earning under USD 30 a month.
The bank said 119,049 verified households have been left without financing after the government capped housing support at 62,966 first-tranche beneficiaries. Over 66,000 exclusion grievances have been filed. The World Bank called for individual notification of all complainants.
The Indian Opinion
The World Bank's warning highlights a familiar pattern: development funds meant for the poorest are diverted to infrastructure, often without transparency. The narrative that infrastructure projects serve national interest ignores the immediate human cost, families pushed deeper into poverty, forced to choose between food and shelter. The real test will be whether Pakistan's government reverses the cap and ensures the 119,049 excluded households receive their due assistance. Numbers do not lie.
Source: economictimes.indiatimes.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
