India pledges full support to flood-hit Pak

Betwa Sharma
United Nations, Aug 21 (PTI) Offering its wholehearted
support to flood-stricken Pakistan, India has vowed to do all
it can to assist the country in relief efforts, apart from the
USD five million in aid already extended by it.
"We are willing to do all that is in our power to assist
Pakistan in facing the consequences of floods," Hardeep Singh
Puri, India's envoy to the UN, told the General Assembly on
the second day of a special meeting on the Pakistani floods
Friday.
"We extend our wholehearted support to the government of
Pakistan in its effort for relief and rehabilitation of their
adversely affected population," he said.
During his visit to the UN on Thursday, Pakistan's
Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi had accepted India's
offer of aid to the tune of USD 5 million.
Pakistan has been hit by the worst floods in 80 years,
which have soaked one fifth of its land, killed more than
1,500 people and impacted an estimated population of 20
million with around 6 million in need of emergency aid, which
included 3.5 million children.
The UN has launched a flash appeal for USD 460 million
out of which USD 263 million has been received, which is
approximately 53 per cent.
Despite a slow start, the contributions picked up speed
after UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon visited the flooded
areas last week and said it was the worst natural disaster he
had witnessed, while describing the conditions as "heart
wrenching."
The US has contributed the largest amount of aid worth
USD 150 million, out of which USD 92 million goes towards the
UN flash appeal.
Pakistan, which has lost a high volume of infrastructure
and agriculture, is probably going to need aid worth billions
of dollar as it moves into the recovery and rehabilitation
phase. (More) PTI