Gilani defends accepting Indian aid for flood victims

M Zulqernain
Lahore, Aug 22 (PTI) Amid criticism by some Pakistani
politicians of his government's decision to accept USD five
million in Indian aid for flood victims, Prime Minister Yousuf
Raza Gilani has said it will be a "narrow approach" to refuse
such an offer.
He said those opposed to taking aid from India should
give reasons for their stand.
"I would like to ask the critics of Indian aid on what
ground we should refuse it. It will be a narrow approach
if we refuse aid from India," Gilani told reporters at his
residence here.
After dilly-dallying for several days, Pakistan recently
accepted India's offer to provide USD 5 million for the
millions of victims of the devastating floods that have swept
the country.
Gilani said the move has enhanced Pakistan's diplomatic
image.
But, the move has been criticised by some politicians.
"The government has accepted the Indian aid offer on the US
call," Senator Raja Zafar ul Haq, chairman of PML-N party of
former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, said.
"It was earlier reported in the media but the Foreign
Minister (Shah Mahmood Qureshi) made it public on Friday. The
US had urged Pakistan to accept the Indian aid offer," Haq was
quoted as saying by the 'Jang' newspaper.
Former Foreign Minister Abdul Sattar was quoted as saying
that "it is beyond understanding that the government
accepted the offer after few days."
However, Gilani said: "Would it not be a contrast if
we refused the aid? On the one hand, we are stressing on the
resumption of dialogue with India and on the other, we refuse
its aid. We should come out of this approach and give a strong
image to Pakistan."
He said he was chairing a high-level meeting when he was
informed about India's offer to provide aid. "I told my
Foreign Minister to thank his Indian counterpart for the aid,"
he said.
Gilani noted that both Pakistanis and Indians had
collected funds for the flood-affected people.
Pakistan has received a tremendous response from the
world community in response to its call for aid for the flood
victims and the government has proposed an independent council
to oversee the transparent spending of funds, he said.
"The international community trusted us and that is
why such huge aid is pouring in," he said.

Meanwhile, Qureshi, who was in New York, noted that India
and Pakistan had a past record of providing assistance to each
other when faced with natural disasters.
"Well, we have been helping each other in the past. India
has helped Pakistan during the 2005 earthquake. We responded
to them when they had natural disasters," Qureshi told PBS
News Hour.
"So, there is a precedent, and we are neighbours. So,
this was a very welcome gesture on their part. And we in
Pakistan appreciate this gesture," he said.
Qureshi avoided the question on why it took so long to
accept the Indian aid, but when asked whether there were
political sensitivities involved in accepting the offer he
said, "No, as I said, there are past precedents. And, you
know, they have helped us, and we have helped them."
Pakistan has been hit by the worst floods in 80 years,
which have inundated one fifth of its land, killed around
2,000 people and impacted an estimated 20 million people with
around 6 million in need of emergency aid, which includes 3,5
million children.
The UN has launched a flash appeal for USD 460 million
out of which USD 263 million have been received, which are
approximately 57 per cent. PTI BS
MRD