Conflict & Poverty
Pakistan gained independence in 1947 at partition, when India was liberated from British rule. Tensions with India persist over Kashmir, sparking three border wars.

Poverty is widespread, with 65% of the population living on less than $2 a day. Over half of Pakistan’s 157 million people live in rural areas and work in agriculture. Pakistan has also hosted up to 3 million Afghan refugees over the past 20 years.

Earthquake
On October 8 2005 the largest earthquake to hit South Asia in a century devastated Pakistani-administered Kashmir and the NWFP. Over 73,000 people died and 3 million were left homeless. The 7.6 magnitude earthquake destroyed entire towns and villages and affected over 5 million people.

IRW Response
Islamic Relief Worldwide (IRW) has three offices near the earthquake-affected areas so our emergency response team was able to reach the area within one hour of the earthquake.

Islamic Relief was the lead agency during the emergency response and received international acclaim for its work. We have provided more than £28 million worth of relief and development aid to thousands of people to date.

Islamic Relief in Pakistan
Islamic Relief Worldwide started working in Pakistan in 1992 and registered in 1994. Our country office is in Islamabad, with area offices in Quetta and Muzaffarabad, and field offices in Chaghi, Kharan, Neelum Valley, Bagh and Rawlakot.

IRW has implemented many development projects in water and sanitation, health, education, income generation, disaster preparedness & response and orphan support. Relief work has included responding to earthquakes, droughts and floods.

Our largest sustainable development programmes are in Pakistan-administered Kashmir and Balochistan, in remote areas such as Neelum Valley and Chaghi and Kharan.

Pakistan-administered Kashmir
Islamic Relief has been working in Neelum Valley, Kashmir since 1998, helping people affected by the conflict along the Line of Control with India.
In 2001 IR launched the Neelum Valley Integrated Development Programme, which covers health, water & sanitation, sustainable livelihoods and disaster preparedness. The projects involve community organisations in helping to reduce the vulnerability of the people of Neelum Valley. After the earthquake the programme has had to be modified to tackle emergency needs.

Balochistan
In 1997 IRW responded to an earthquake in Balochistan, and began working in Kharan and Chagai in 2000. The region is arid and frequently suffers from drought. Many areas are hugely underdeveloped and lack basic infrastructure.

IRW’s development projects include water supply, health and hygiene, and livelihood support. The projects are carried out with community participation, helping people to organise and identify problems and solutions for themselves.