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| Pakistan wants Indian aid via UN |
| Press Trust Of India / New Delhi Aug 29, 2010, 00:55 IST |
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Pakistan has refused to accept directly the Indian aid of $5 million for its flood victims and instead suggested that it be routed through the United Nations (UN). Pakistan conveyed this to India, which was expected to agree to this procedure, sources said here today. The sources made clear that India had no problem in routing the relief material through the UN. “It is a humanitarian crisis (being faced by Pakistan) and India has offered the aid as a goodwill gesture. The modalities of providing the assistance do not matter,” a source said.
On when the relief material would be sent, the sources said such aspects would be worked out when an idea is received from Pakistan say what material it wants. “The broader objective is to provide humanitarian assistance in the hour of need to Pakistan.”
The floods have killed over 1,700 people and affected 20 million in Pakistan. Around 1.2 million homes have been destroyed or damaged. The floods started over a month ago following heavy rains in the country’s northwest.
India had made the offer of aid on August 14 when External Affairs Minister S M Krishna called up his counterpart Shah Mahmood Qureshi. Pakistan was reluctant to accept the aid. Three days later and after a nudge from the US, Qureshi said Pakistan was ready to accept the Indian assistance.
The resources of the Pakistan government and aid agencies are already strained in their effort to provide relief to hapless people. The UN, which is extending massive assistance, has said it was struggling to meet the needs of the affected people. “The floods are outrunning our relief efforts. We move faster and faster, but the finish line keeps moving further,” UN spokesman Maurizio Giuliano said a few days back. “This is turning out to be a marathon, not a sprint.”
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