The Danish European Mission, which participated in and was quoted several times in the debate, reported discrimination against Christians. Several others also reported discrimination against Christians, including the newly elected Bishop Humphrey Peters of Peshawar Diocese, Church of Pakistan, to Kristeligt Dagblad on August 17, 2010:
"In a huge relief effort, minorities are often overlooked by the government. Under these conditions, the local church needs to concentrate on the poor and marginalized minorities." He went on to say: "Not much of the international aid will reach the Christians. We have bitter experiences from the earthquake." [in 2005, ed.]
Emergency aid for the vulnerable and marginalized
To ensure that the aid reaches the victims who are most exposed and vulnerable, the recipients of emergency aid from the Danish European Mission must meet a number of objective criteria. This ensures that minorities, such as Christians, are not discriminated against. One criterion is that a family's monthly income must be very low so that the aid reaches families with limited financial resources. Since many Christians, like other minorities in Pakistan, often live in deep poverty and are thus particularly vulnerable in a disaster situation, they will be able to meet this criterion. In addition, preference is given to families with disabled members, for example, and to large families where the burden of support is relatively greater than in small families.
Early emergency response
Already on August 5, when the extent of the flooding had only been known in the Danish media for a few days, around 900 people had received emergency aid through the Danish European Mission in connection with the extensive flooding in Pakistan. This first phase of the relief operation was carried out with funds from DANIDA, administered by the Development Department of the Danish Mission Council. This operation was carried out in affected villages around the city of Lahore and Kasur, where the victims received enough food for 55-60 days, medicine, cooking utensils, clothes and other emergency aid.
With the support of Danish European Mission donors, phases two and three of the relief operation were rolled out and even more people received relief, this time in Layyah, Rajapur, MuzaffarGarh and Multan. By the beginning of September, 4050 people had received relief in what is considered by some to be one of the worst disasters the country has seen in more than 80 years.
