I personally think that India should have offered help to Pakistan in this tragedy. I know our help was refused the last time but that should not prevent us from doing what is right.
Pakistan Floods: India Increases aid to $25million
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Why we should provide help? You can see from the first post that they are using this floods to run anti India rhetorics. This is a very right decision not to help them otherwise our money will be used to buy weapons against us and killing us. There should be no sympathy to terrorists
AirforcePilot
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My country already sent $25 Million in flood aid, also our Army is helping out by airlifting food and supplies to the Pakistani people. We always help other countries when natural disaster strikes. Will the Pakistanis appreciate it? Only time will tell.
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Actually this article has been written by Jawed Naqvi, an Indian.
There is nothing wrong if India gives aid, since we are neighbours and it behooves us but for our past experience. Still I believe a 5-20 million dollar aid with a media cum diplomatic blitzkrieg to highlight this could improve our perception ? US has failed in this regard though.
US was also one of the largest donors in the aftermath of the 2005 earthquake which devastated large parts of Pakistan and generally is the largest donor to Pakistan. And yet US is hated with a vengeance not even reserved for India.
Chinooks posted in Afghanistan have rescued over a 1000 Pakistani flood victims but I have yet to read about this in a Pakistani paper. However Pak media is severely critical of the west for not giving enough aid, not giving assistance to build dams (and not peep about lack of moral and economic aid from the Chinese and Muslim world).
Rebelkid
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http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect...e-muzaffargarh-evacuation-under-way-080-hh-01
MUZAFFARGARH: Over 750,000 people found themselves at the mercy of nature when the administration ordered evacuation of Muzaffargarh town hours before daybreak on Monday as waters from the swollen Indus and Chenab rivers threatened to overwhelm the region.
Scenes reminiscent of 1947 started playing themselves out after the announcement threw the populace into an unknown fear.
The announcement from mosques at 4am left speechless 400,000 residents of Muzaffargarh city, and the nearly 350,000 people who had taken refuge here after furious rivers had ripped homes from their foundations in small towns and villages nearby.
Soon the people started leaving for Multan, the only link intact after the closures of roads leading to Layyah and Dera Ghazi Khan.
There were not enough vehicles for such a massive exodus. The Multan-Muzaffargarh road soon clogged with all sorts of conveyances ranging from buses and trucks to horse- and donkey-driven contraptions.
And predictably enough, transporters felt no qualms about cashing in on the helplessness of the multitude.
Long queues of vehicles were seen at CNG stations because the closure of Parco had caused a severe shortage of petrol and diesel.
Saleem Qureshi, who was in charge of a relief camp at Workers Welfare School, said over 8,000 people had taken shelter in the camp over the past two days after waters surged into Kot Addu, Sanwan, Gurmani and Qasba Gujrat.
Around 3,500 people had refused to leave the camp as most of them were penniless by now. Some of them said they would prefer to shelter on roofs, and even trees, rather than risk another displacement.
One distressed person, Ghulam Abbas from Kot Addu, said "we would prefer to die because we simply cannot afford another displacement".
"When floods hit Kot Addu on Aug 2, we moved to Sanawan. After 24 hours we had to leave that town. Later we moved to Mahmood Kot to our relatives. But on Aug 4, we had to leave Mahmood Kot when a breach in Muzaffargarh canal made us homeless. "We will not move any further."
Since there were not enough vehicles to carry those willing to leave, some people mustered the courage to get in touch with the Minister of state for Economic Affairs, Hina Rabbani Khar. They suggested to her to arrange a shuttle train between Multan and Muzaffargarh.
Ms Khar obliged them. A shuttle started running between the two points after every two hours. Much to the disappointment of the people who reached Multan, there were no relief camps for them. After some time, however, the army, the district government, PAF and other agencies swung into action and set up shelters.
FLOODS: Irrigation officials said that water level in Chenab river swelled on Monday and floods were likely to hit the city any time.
Because of a flood wave from the Chenab river and breaches in Tulahiry Canal water was heading towards the city after inundating Muradabad, Langar Sari and Basti Bhutta.
Thousands of people had to leave their homes in union councils of Budh, Baseera, Wan Pittafi and Gul Wala aftera breach in the Muzaffargarh canal, near Nusrat Wala, flooded thousands of acres and demolished hundreds of houses.
The Muzaffargarh thermal power plant was also in danger and its staff colony had been evacuated. Experts fear if any harm comes to this plant, the country will face a grave power shortage.
A bridge on the Chenab remained closed for many hours when a large number of vehicles from Muzaffargarh tried to cross it at a time.
In headquarters city areas most banks and ATM machines were closed. Hundred people rushed to banks to draw the money but failed.
This correspondent saw hundreds of families sitting on bypass road near river Chenab. In DHQ hospital hundreds patients ran for safety when they learnt about the flood.
DHQ Medical Superintendent Dr Ashiq Malik said that about 197 patients were there but after red alert one over a hundred ran away and the remaining had been shifted to Nishtar hospital, Multan.
DCO Farasat Iqbal said that district government was trying to save lives and moving affected people to safe places.
------------------------------
China sent 1 million$ aid ...their allies sent so little while the USA sent 10 million ...
People in those areas are suffering badly, and its getting worse as floods are going furthur, its really sad though
, some guyz in pakistan are blaiming U.S for this(HAARP)
MUZAFFARGARH: Over 750,000 people found themselves at the mercy of nature when the administration ordered evacuation of Muzaffargarh town hours before daybreak on Monday as waters from the swollen Indus and Chenab rivers threatened to overwhelm the region.
Scenes reminiscent of 1947 started playing themselves out after the announcement threw the populace into an unknown fear.
The announcement from mosques at 4am left speechless 400,000 residents of Muzaffargarh city, and the nearly 350,000 people who had taken refuge here after furious rivers had ripped homes from their foundations in small towns and villages nearby.
Soon the people started leaving for Multan, the only link intact after the closures of roads leading to Layyah and Dera Ghazi Khan.
There were not enough vehicles for such a massive exodus. The Multan-Muzaffargarh road soon clogged with all sorts of conveyances ranging from buses and trucks to horse- and donkey-driven contraptions.
And predictably enough, transporters felt no qualms about cashing in on the helplessness of the multitude.
Long queues of vehicles were seen at CNG stations because the closure of Parco had caused a severe shortage of petrol and diesel.
Saleem Qureshi, who was in charge of a relief camp at Workers Welfare School, said over 8,000 people had taken shelter in the camp over the past two days after waters surged into Kot Addu, Sanwan, Gurmani and Qasba Gujrat.
Around 3,500 people had refused to leave the camp as most of them were penniless by now. Some of them said they would prefer to shelter on roofs, and even trees, rather than risk another displacement.
One distressed person, Ghulam Abbas from Kot Addu, said "we would prefer to die because we simply cannot afford another displacement".
"When floods hit Kot Addu on Aug 2, we moved to Sanawan. After 24 hours we had to leave that town. Later we moved to Mahmood Kot to our relatives. But on Aug 4, we had to leave Mahmood Kot when a breach in Muzaffargarh canal made us homeless. "We will not move any further."
Since there were not enough vehicles to carry those willing to leave, some people mustered the courage to get in touch with the Minister of state for Economic Affairs, Hina Rabbani Khar. They suggested to her to arrange a shuttle train between Multan and Muzaffargarh.
Ms Khar obliged them. A shuttle started running between the two points after every two hours. Much to the disappointment of the people who reached Multan, there were no relief camps for them. After some time, however, the army, the district government, PAF and other agencies swung into action and set up shelters.
FLOODS: Irrigation officials said that water level in Chenab river swelled on Monday and floods were likely to hit the city any time.
Because of a flood wave from the Chenab river and breaches in Tulahiry Canal water was heading towards the city after inundating Muradabad, Langar Sari and Basti Bhutta.
Thousands of people had to leave their homes in union councils of Budh, Baseera, Wan Pittafi and Gul Wala aftera breach in the Muzaffargarh canal, near Nusrat Wala, flooded thousands of acres and demolished hundreds of houses.
The Muzaffargarh thermal power plant was also in danger and its staff colony had been evacuated. Experts fear if any harm comes to this plant, the country will face a grave power shortage.
A bridge on the Chenab remained closed for many hours when a large number of vehicles from Muzaffargarh tried to cross it at a time.
In headquarters city areas most banks and ATM machines were closed. Hundred people rushed to banks to draw the money but failed.
This correspondent saw hundreds of families sitting on bypass road near river Chenab. In DHQ hospital hundreds patients ran for safety when they learnt about the flood.
DHQ Medical Superintendent Dr Ashiq Malik said that about 197 patients were there but after red alert one over a hundred ran away and the remaining had been shifted to Nishtar hospital, Multan.
DCO Farasat Iqbal said that district government was trying to save lives and moving affected people to safe places.
------------------------------
China sent 1 million$ aid ...their allies sent so little while the USA sent 10 million ...
People in those areas are suffering badly, and its getting worse as floods are going furthur, its really sad though
, some guyz in pakistan are blaiming U.S for this(HAARP)
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Pakistan press blames USA for floods HAARP used
All started suddenly and thousands died, millions displaced, hundreds of villages vanished in the matter of just 4 days!!"¦strangely there were no weather warnings, no alarms.. these are the worst floods in the history of Pakistan BUT no one from Global MET offices could even trace what is going on in this region?
We have investigated this matter and concluded that HAARP has recently been used in NW area of Pakistan .. the choice of starting point was perfect.. all the flood is going in downstream i.e. Khyber (Hills) to Karachi (Sea)"¦ it is designed to submerge entire Pakistan and bring up the worst crises and chaos ever happened.. they know they cant win a war with Nuclear armed Pakistan – it would be a mutual destruction, so they have other ways to do it!.
http://www.pakalertpress.com/2010/08...found-allover/
All started suddenly and thousands died, millions displaced, hundreds of villages vanished in the matter of just 4 days!!"¦strangely there were no weather warnings, no alarms.. these are the worst floods in the history of Pakistan BUT no one from Global MET offices could even trace what is going on in this region?
We have investigated this matter and concluded that HAARP has recently been used in NW area of Pakistan .. the choice of starting point was perfect.. all the flood is going in downstream i.e. Khyber (Hills) to Karachi (Sea)"¦ it is designed to submerge entire Pakistan and bring up the worst crises and chaos ever happened.. they know they cant win a war with Nuclear armed Pakistan – it would be a mutual destruction, so they have other ways to do it!.
http://www.pakalertpress.com/2010/08...found-allover/
Rebelkid
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They already blamed you for the floods....
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see these buggers, they want cash so that it can be used for weapons:
http://thenews.jang.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=255842
Pakistan fails to get foreign aid in cash for flood victims
http://thenews.jang.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=255842
Pakistan fails to get foreign aid in cash for flood victims
SHASH2K2
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It's beyond us: Gilani
Up against nature's fury and people's ire, Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani on Sunday said Pakistan was not capable of coping with the calamity caused by the devastating floods sweeping through much of the country for nearly a fortnight now.
He is reported to have conceded this while speaking to reporters during his tour of Sukkur in Sindh and hours after a man threw shoes at President Asif Ali Zardari during a public meeting in Birmingham.
"The government has done everything possible but it is beyond our capacity. We are facing an extremely difficult situation,'' he said reiterating his appeal to the international community to help Pakistan.
Since practically every province of the country has been affected by the floods, the scale of devastation is much bigger than the 2005 earthquake which took more lives.
Several countries have come forward to help in the relief operations and others have pledged money for rehabilitation but the international aid and government interventions are not a patch on the crisis on hand as people face hunger and destitution while the fear of water-borne diseases looms large.
http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/article561206.ece
Up against nature's fury and people's ire, Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani on Sunday said Pakistan was not capable of coping with the calamity caused by the devastating floods sweeping through much of the country for nearly a fortnight now.
He is reported to have conceded this while speaking to reporters during his tour of Sukkur in Sindh and hours after a man threw shoes at President Asif Ali Zardari during a public meeting in Birmingham.
"The government has done everything possible but it is beyond our capacity. We are facing an extremely difficult situation,'' he said reiterating his appeal to the international community to help Pakistan.
Since practically every province of the country has been affected by the floods, the scale of devastation is much bigger than the 2005 earthquake which took more lives.
Several countries have come forward to help in the relief operations and others have pledged money for rehabilitation but the international aid and government interventions are not a patch on the crisis on hand as people face hunger and destitution while the fear of water-borne diseases looms large.
http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/article561206.ece
Terminator
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http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/aug/10/pakistan-flood-international-aid
Pakistan flood toll rises but international aid fails to flow
The international response to Pakistan's flood emergency has been sluggish and ungenerous compared with relief efforts after previous disasters, a leading aid agency said today as the UN warned that its emergency workers were in danger of being overwhelmed by the scale of the crisis.
Oxfam said the UN's financial tracking system showed that as of August 9, governments had committed less than $45m, with an additional $91m pledged – considerably less money than was collected for previous disaster relief efforts over a similar period. India, Pakistan's much larger and wealthier neighbour, has not offered any aid or assistance at all.
"Within the first 10 days of the 2005 Pakistan earthquake, which left 3.5 million people homeless, the international community had committed $247m and pledged £45m... In the first 10 days of Cyclone Nargis, which affected 2.4 million people when it struck Myanmar [Burma], almost $110m was committed and $109m pledged," Oxfam said. Likewise, $742m was committed to Haiti and $920m pledged after the earthquake there in January.
About 14 million people have now been affected by the flooding, and about 1,600 people killed. Both figures are expected to rise in the coming days. Pakistan's federal flood commission estimated that 300,000 homes have been destroyed or seriously damaged so far and 2.6m acres (105,000 sq km) of croplands submerged.
"Six million [of the 14 million affected] are children and 3 million women of child-bearing age. This is a higher figure than in the 2005 south Asia tsunami," the UN's humanitarian affairs co-ordination office said.
Neva Khan, Oxfam country director in Pakistan, said: "The rains are continuing and [with] each hour that passes the flooding is multiplying misery across the entire country. This is a mega disaster and it needs a mega response."
To date, only five countries – Britain, the US, Australia, Italy and Kuwait – have committed or pledged more than $5m in new funding.
"Everyone – donors, the UN, aid agencies, the government – all of us need to shift gear on this crisis," Khan said. "This is the biggest disaster in the world right now and we all need to get behind it."
In a memorandum circulated todayyesterday, the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, warned that its capacity and that of other UN and international agencies to respond to the crisis created by the flooding was being "tested to the limits".
The memo said: "Our staff in Pakistan say the situation is among the most difficult they have faced "¦ Meeting the demands of this crisis is a massive challenge." Problems included blocked access routes, collapsed bridges, lack of dry land to erect tents, lack of clean drinking water and sanitation facilities, shortages of relief supplies, and "difficult security conditions".
The Pakistani Taliban today urged the government not to accept western aid money, and offered to fund relief efforts itself. Taliban fighters have in the past attacked international aid groups in the country, accusing them of trying to introduce "un-Islamic" values
"Pakistan should reject this aid to maintain sovereignty and independence," a Taliban spokesman told the Associated Press.
It was confirmed today that India, Pakistan's historical foe and close neighbour, has offered no help so far and apparently has no plans to do so. A spokeswoman for the Indian High Commission in London said: "No decision has been taken so far on providing aid or assistance."
But while no aid was forthcoming, the Indian army today sought the help of the Pakistan military to locate the bodies of 28 Indian soldiers who were swept across the provisional border in Kashmir by a raging Himalayan river.
A spokeswoman for the Pakistani High Commission in London said she was "not surprised" by India's stance and declined to criticise the international response: "Every country has its own priorities. A lot of other countries have offered to help."
Abdul Basit, foreign ministry spokesman in Islamabad, said: "So far, there is no aid from India for the calamity." He declined to comment further. A senior Pakistani official said: "We are not expecting anything (from India). It does seem a bit strange. Even just as a goodwill gesture, it would be important."
After the earthquake that devastated Pakistan-administered Kashmir five years ago, India gave 25 tonnes of food, medicine, tents, blankets and plastic sheets. This time Delhi has confined itself to sending a letter of condolence.
Meanwhile, instead of aid, Indian newspapers have focused on how Indian commerce could benefit by exporting sugar and cotton to a stricken Pakistan.
Pakistan's President Asif Ali Zardari returned home today after a European tour to face a chorus of criticism over his government's response to the crisis. Zardari enraged critics for going ahead with visits to London and Paris despite the emergency.
I found this article to be really funny specially the places which i have underlined.Please note other gulf countries and china's aid seems not there but still the author refers india india india ..
Pakistan flood toll rises but international aid fails to flow
The international response to Pakistan's flood emergency has been sluggish and ungenerous compared with relief efforts after previous disasters, a leading aid agency said today as the UN warned that its emergency workers were in danger of being overwhelmed by the scale of the crisis.
Oxfam said the UN's financial tracking system showed that as of August 9, governments had committed less than $45m, with an additional $91m pledged – considerably less money than was collected for previous disaster relief efforts over a similar period. India, Pakistan's much larger and wealthier neighbour, has not offered any aid or assistance at all.
"Within the first 10 days of the 2005 Pakistan earthquake, which left 3.5 million people homeless, the international community had committed $247m and pledged £45m... In the first 10 days of Cyclone Nargis, which affected 2.4 million people when it struck Myanmar [Burma], almost $110m was committed and $109m pledged," Oxfam said. Likewise, $742m was committed to Haiti and $920m pledged after the earthquake there in January.
About 14 million people have now been affected by the flooding, and about 1,600 people killed. Both figures are expected to rise in the coming days. Pakistan's federal flood commission estimated that 300,000 homes have been destroyed or seriously damaged so far and 2.6m acres (105,000 sq km) of croplands submerged.
"Six million [of the 14 million affected] are children and 3 million women of child-bearing age. This is a higher figure than in the 2005 south Asia tsunami," the UN's humanitarian affairs co-ordination office said.
Neva Khan, Oxfam country director in Pakistan, said: "The rains are continuing and [with] each hour that passes the flooding is multiplying misery across the entire country. This is a mega disaster and it needs a mega response."
To date, only five countries – Britain, the US, Australia, Italy and Kuwait – have committed or pledged more than $5m in new funding.
"Everyone – donors, the UN, aid agencies, the government – all of us need to shift gear on this crisis," Khan said. "This is the biggest disaster in the world right now and we all need to get behind it."
In a memorandum circulated todayyesterday, the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, warned that its capacity and that of other UN and international agencies to respond to the crisis created by the flooding was being "tested to the limits".
The memo said: "Our staff in Pakistan say the situation is among the most difficult they have faced "¦ Meeting the demands of this crisis is a massive challenge." Problems included blocked access routes, collapsed bridges, lack of dry land to erect tents, lack of clean drinking water and sanitation facilities, shortages of relief supplies, and "difficult security conditions".
The Pakistani Taliban today urged the government not to accept western aid money, and offered to fund relief efforts itself. Taliban fighters have in the past attacked international aid groups in the country, accusing them of trying to introduce "un-Islamic" values
"Pakistan should reject this aid to maintain sovereignty and independence," a Taliban spokesman told the Associated Press.
It was confirmed today that India, Pakistan's historical foe and close neighbour, has offered no help so far and apparently has no plans to do so. A spokeswoman for the Indian High Commission in London said: "No decision has been taken so far on providing aid or assistance."
But while no aid was forthcoming, the Indian army today sought the help of the Pakistan military to locate the bodies of 28 Indian soldiers who were swept across the provisional border in Kashmir by a raging Himalayan river.
A spokeswoman for the Pakistani High Commission in London said she was "not surprised" by India's stance and declined to criticise the international response: "Every country has its own priorities. A lot of other countries have offered to help."
Abdul Basit, foreign ministry spokesman in Islamabad, said: "So far, there is no aid from India for the calamity." He declined to comment further. A senior Pakistani official said: "We are not expecting anything (from India). It does seem a bit strange. Even just as a goodwill gesture, it would be important."
After the earthquake that devastated Pakistan-administered Kashmir five years ago, India gave 25 tonnes of food, medicine, tents, blankets and plastic sheets. This time Delhi has confined itself to sending a letter of condolence.
Meanwhile, instead of aid, Indian newspapers have focused on how Indian commerce could benefit by exporting sugar and cotton to a stricken Pakistan.
Pakistan's President Asif Ali Zardari returned home today after a European tour to face a chorus of criticism over his government's response to the crisis. Zardari enraged critics for going ahead with visits to London and Paris despite the emergency.
I found this article to be really funny specially the places which i have underlined.Please note other gulf countries and china's aid seems not there but still the author refers india india india ..
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This is a blog. Though, Pak's Urdu media does, at times, print gems like this one.
US is blamed for not helping out. India was blamed by some for releasing water. No ill word against China or the arabs.
But this disaster has largely been about blame game amongst the politicians and army-islamists pr campaign to boost their image. Media is on a massive anti-Zardari and anti-Politcian tirade and have been effusive in their praise for Islamists and Army.
Adminstration is ultimately responsible for disaster relief and management and cash is required for optimal relief. However, nobody has confidence in Pak adminstration and least of all Pakistanis.
EagleOne
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Taliban urges Pakistan to refuse international aid
Peshawar, Aug 11 – Taliban militants asked the government of Pakistan Wednesday to boycott the international relief assistance for flood victims.
The call came as the UN announced a formal appeal for a 'few hundred million dollars' Wednesday for more relief to help over 14 million flood-affected people in Pakistan.
The floods caused by unprecedented monsoon rains have killed more than 1,600 people and displaced hundreds of thousands.
Azam Tariq, a spokesman for Tahrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, the umbrella organisation of about a dozen militant groups, Wednesday asked Pakistan to refuse aid as it comes from enemies of Islam.
'The Pakistani government and the flood victims should refuse to accept the international aid. All the assistance that is coming is from the Christians and Jews, which are the enemies of Islam,' Tariq told DPA over the phone from an undisclosed location.
Azam promised to 'provide $20 million for flood victims if the Pakistani government does not take international aid', and said people should be warned that the 'infidels' wanted to enslave Pakistanis by providing the aid.
A UN spokesman, Maurizio Giuliano, urged the international community to provide more assistance quickly.
'We have received promises of $140 million as of last night,' he told the media Wednesday.
The United States government is leading the donors as it has already announced $55 million for Pakistani flood victims.
Taliban militants hiding along the Afghanistan border have waged a bombing campaign in Pakistan, targeting civilians and security personnel.
They also frequently cross the border into Afghanistan to fight the NATO-led international troops there.
The militants are apparently disturbed by the aid from the Western governments, as it could damage their anti-West platform which they use to recruit militants to fight against the US and NATO troops.
ians
Peshawar, Aug 11 – Taliban militants asked the government of Pakistan Wednesday to boycott the international relief assistance for flood victims.
The call came as the UN announced a formal appeal for a 'few hundred million dollars' Wednesday for more relief to help over 14 million flood-affected people in Pakistan.
The floods caused by unprecedented monsoon rains have killed more than 1,600 people and displaced hundreds of thousands.
Azam Tariq, a spokesman for Tahrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, the umbrella organisation of about a dozen militant groups, Wednesday asked Pakistan to refuse aid as it comes from enemies of Islam.
'The Pakistani government and the flood victims should refuse to accept the international aid. All the assistance that is coming is from the Christians and Jews, which are the enemies of Islam,' Tariq told DPA over the phone from an undisclosed location.
Azam promised to 'provide $20 million for flood victims if the Pakistani government does not take international aid', and said people should be warned that the 'infidels' wanted to enslave Pakistanis by providing the aid.
A UN spokesman, Maurizio Giuliano, urged the international community to provide more assistance quickly.
'We have received promises of $140 million as of last night,' he told the media Wednesday.
The United States government is leading the donors as it has already announced $55 million for Pakistani flood victims.
Taliban militants hiding along the Afghanistan border have waged a bombing campaign in Pakistan, targeting civilians and security personnel.
They also frequently cross the border into Afghanistan to fight the NATO-led international troops there.
The militants are apparently disturbed by the aid from the Western governments, as it could damage their anti-West platform which they use to recruit militants to fight against the US and NATO troops.
ians
AirforcePilot
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The Taliban is 5 cans short of a 6 pack. Do they really think the Pakistan government will turn away $140 million for $20 million?
Rebelkid
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some of the Pakistani media has blamed US for the disaster...they blamed HAARP for manually causing a flood....surprising number of people believe it too
AirforcePilot
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We were also blamed for causing the Haiti earthquake using HAARP by Venezuela president Hugo Chavez. I really don't fault the people. They have to blame somebody for their misery and most people have no idea what HAARP is. The people we were helping are dirt poor with little education.
Rebelkid
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Yeah...its sad these theories spread into the population even after America giving soo much Aid... There always a reason for hatred.
Pintu
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http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5i9_eqgvUElBmVpxnGu2XGTQDpCwQ
US triples number of Pakistani aid helicopters
(AFP) – 3 hours ago
TAMPA, Florida — The United States tripled Wednesday the number of helicopters helping Pakistan's flood relief effort, as top US officials issued somber warnings about the massive scale of the disaster.
The boost in the US deployment came as outgoing UN humanitarian chief John Holmes appealed for 460 million dollars in emergency aid for up to 14 million people reeling from Pakistan's worst floods in living memory.
US Defense Secretary Robert Gates said the USS Peleliu, an amphibious assault ship, was moored off Karachi awaiting the green light to dispatch its 19 helicopters to the disaster zone.
"The flooding in Pakistan has the potential to be significantly more disastrous for the country than the earthquake several years ago," Gates said, referring to the 2005 Kashmir earthquake that killed more than 73,000 people.
"The (US) president (Barack Obama) wants to lean forward in offering help to the Pakistanis," Gates said. "We will work with them (the Pakistanis) and do this at their pace."
Six US helicopters -- to be redeployed to Afghanistan once those on the Peleliu begin work -- have so far rescued 3,000 people and delivered 146 tonnes of aid, Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morrell said.
The United Nations believes 1,600 people have died since Pakistan's worst monsoon-related floods in living memory struck in July and early August, devastating large parts of the country from north to south. Pakistan has confirmed 1,243 deaths.
Richard Holbrooke, US special representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, urged the American people in an interview Wednesday to try to comprehend the enormous scale of the suffering in Pakistan.
"Although the deaths are far less than they were in the (2004 Indian Ocean) tsunami, and in the 2005 Pakistan earthquake, and in Haiti, the overall number of people affected is much larger than all of those combined," he said.
"The international recognition of this disaster has not yet been sufficient to its dimensions," he told the Council on Foreign Relations.
"That is because floods, unlike earthquakes and tsunamis, are not sudden catastrophes that hit and then the reconstruction begins. They're rolling crises, which grow and are initially underestimated, and that is what has happened in Pakistan."
Holbrooke said Pakistan's fragile economy would be drastically hit by the fact that all its crops had been wiped out, as he painted a grim picture of bridges and dams washed out and others poised to burst.
"The greatest fear of the experts is that diseases will break out in refugee camps -- bad water, cholera, typhoid -- and we need to work hard on that, so medicine is critically needed," he said.
"Nobody knows the full extent (of damage) yet, but we do know that it is the worst flood in Pakistan's history since independence and apparently the worst one since the 1920s."
As Pakistan admitted being unable to cope with the scale of the unfolding disaster, the UN warned that children were among the most vulnerable victims, with diarrhea the biggest health threat and measles a concern.
"The death toll has so far been relatively low compared to other major natural disasters, but the numbers affected are extraordinarily high," Holmes warned. "If we don't act fast enough, many more people could die of diseases and food shortages."
Holbrooke dismissed reports that hardline Islamic charities were filling the vacuum and gaining support in areas the Pakistani government hasn't been able to reach.
"The people I've talked to question the accuracy of those reports," he said. "I don't think we should even worry about those right now. We should just worry about relief and getting assistance to the people."
The Pakistani Taliban, which has been fighting the military in the tribal belt and last year in the cut-off northwestern Swat valley, has called on the government to turn down all foreign aid for the victims.
Asked about the possible impact of floods on the Pakistani military's fight against the militants, Gates said: "They are going to have to divert some troops and already have to try to deal with the flooding.
"But I would say that we weren't expecting them to undertake new offensives for some period of time anyway. I think it just remains to be seen. It really depends on how many troops they have to use."
US triples number of Pakistani aid helicopters
(AFP) – 3 hours ago
TAMPA, Florida — The United States tripled Wednesday the number of helicopters helping Pakistan's flood relief effort, as top US officials issued somber warnings about the massive scale of the disaster.
The boost in the US deployment came as outgoing UN humanitarian chief John Holmes appealed for 460 million dollars in emergency aid for up to 14 million people reeling from Pakistan's worst floods in living memory.
US Defense Secretary Robert Gates said the USS Peleliu, an amphibious assault ship, was moored off Karachi awaiting the green light to dispatch its 19 helicopters to the disaster zone.
"The flooding in Pakistan has the potential to be significantly more disastrous for the country than the earthquake several years ago," Gates said, referring to the 2005 Kashmir earthquake that killed more than 73,000 people.
"The (US) president (Barack Obama) wants to lean forward in offering help to the Pakistanis," Gates said. "We will work with them (the Pakistanis) and do this at their pace."
Six US helicopters -- to be redeployed to Afghanistan once those on the Peleliu begin work -- have so far rescued 3,000 people and delivered 146 tonnes of aid, Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morrell said.
The United Nations believes 1,600 people have died since Pakistan's worst monsoon-related floods in living memory struck in July and early August, devastating large parts of the country from north to south. Pakistan has confirmed 1,243 deaths.
Richard Holbrooke, US special representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, urged the American people in an interview Wednesday to try to comprehend the enormous scale of the suffering in Pakistan.
"Although the deaths are far less than they were in the (2004 Indian Ocean) tsunami, and in the 2005 Pakistan earthquake, and in Haiti, the overall number of people affected is much larger than all of those combined," he said.
"The international recognition of this disaster has not yet been sufficient to its dimensions," he told the Council on Foreign Relations.
"That is because floods, unlike earthquakes and tsunamis, are not sudden catastrophes that hit and then the reconstruction begins. They're rolling crises, which grow and are initially underestimated, and that is what has happened in Pakistan."
Holbrooke said Pakistan's fragile economy would be drastically hit by the fact that all its crops had been wiped out, as he painted a grim picture of bridges and dams washed out and others poised to burst.
"The greatest fear of the experts is that diseases will break out in refugee camps -- bad water, cholera, typhoid -- and we need to work hard on that, so medicine is critically needed," he said.
"Nobody knows the full extent (of damage) yet, but we do know that it is the worst flood in Pakistan's history since independence and apparently the worst one since the 1920s."
As Pakistan admitted being unable to cope with the scale of the unfolding disaster, the UN warned that children were among the most vulnerable victims, with diarrhea the biggest health threat and measles a concern.
"The death toll has so far been relatively low compared to other major natural disasters, but the numbers affected are extraordinarily high," Holmes warned. "If we don't act fast enough, many more people could die of diseases and food shortages."
Holbrooke dismissed reports that hardline Islamic charities were filling the vacuum and gaining support in areas the Pakistani government hasn't been able to reach.
"The people I've talked to question the accuracy of those reports," he said. "I don't think we should even worry about those right now. We should just worry about relief and getting assistance to the people."
The Pakistani Taliban, which has been fighting the military in the tribal belt and last year in the cut-off northwestern Swat valley, has called on the government to turn down all foreign aid for the victims.
Asked about the possible impact of floods on the Pakistani military's fight against the militants, Gates said: "They are going to have to divert some troops and already have to try to deal with the flooding.
"But I would say that we weren't expecting them to undertake new offensives for some period of time anyway. I think it just remains to be seen. It really depends on how many troops they have to use."
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