PAKISTAN FLOOD

PAKISTAN FLOOD

        (India announces $ 20million more aid for Pakistan)

        India has announced an additional monetary assistance of $ 20 million to Pakistan to help it tackle the worst ever floods witnessed in recent past.

        As a more concretes assessment of the damage caused by this natural disaster and the urgent needs of the people of Pakistan emerge, the India government has decided to increase its assistance from $5million, announced earlier to $25 million.

        The total money $20 million would go to the Pakistan initial Floods Emergency Response Plan’ through the U.N office for the co ordination of Humanitarian efforts. The rest would be contributed to the U.N world Food Programme.

        Initially, Pakistan was reluctant to accept the aid, but agreed after the U.S intervened. However, Pakistan asked India last week to route the aid through the U.N. The flood in Pakistan as the worst in that part of the region in the past 80 years, killed 1,600 people and affected 17.2 million more than 1.2 million houses were damaged or destroyed. All the four provinces of Pakistan and the Pakistan occupied Kashmir have suffered the consequences.

        With the announcement, India has topped developed countries like Japan, Norway and Sweden, besides China. China has committed $ 9 million only.

Prof. John Kurakar