India raises assistance to flood-hit Pakistan to $ 25 million

India today said it had decided to increase its assistance to flood-hit Pakistan from $ 5 million announced earlier to $ 25 million after a more concrete assessment of the damage inflicted by the natural disaster and the urgent needs of the people in the neighbouring country had emerged.

External Affairs Minister S M Krishna told the Lok Sabha in a suo motu statement that, out of this amount, $ 20 million would be contributed to the "Pakistan Initial Floods Emergency Response Plan" launched by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. The balance of $ 5 million would be contributed to the World Food Programme (WFP) for its relief efforts in Pakistan, he said.

Mr Krishna said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had rightly said that, in such times of natural disasters, all of South Asia should rise to the occasion and extend every possible help to the affected people.

"We remain committed to assisting the people of Pakistan in all possible ways in this difficult hour," he said.

Mr Krishna noted that Pakistan had been severely affected by the massive floods which had caused widespread damage to life and property. He also pointed out that the floods were being described as the worst in that part of the world in the last 80 years.

He said that, according to the latest figures given by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, 17.2 million people had been adversely affected by these floods. The death toll has reached over 1600. More than 1.2 million houses have been damaged or destroyed besides widespread damage to infrastructure, crops and livestock.

He said all four provinces of Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir had suffered the consequences. Latest reports indicate that the flood situation in Sindh continues to deteriorate, even as flood waters recede in Punjab, he said.

"We cannot remain unconcerned with this grave humanitarian crisis of enormous magnitude in our immediate neighbourhood," Mr Krishna said.

He recalled that he had telephoned the Foreign Minister of Pakistan on August 13 and conveyed deepest sympathies and condolences to the people and Government of Pakistan, on this natural disaster, on behalf of the people and Government of India.

As a gesture of solidarity with the people of Pakistan in their hour of need, he had also, at that time, conveyed the Government’s offer of assistance of $ 5 million for provision of relief material from India for the flood victims in Pakistan.

On August 19, Dr Singh had called his Pakistani counterpart Yusuf Raza Gilani to express his sorrow and to condole the deaths resulting from the floods. Dr Singh had also conveyed to Mr Gilani that the Government of India had already made an offer of assistance and was ready to do more to assist in the relief effort.

Mr Krishna said Pakistan had conveyed its deep appreciation of India’s offer of assistance.

"While mentioning that the United Nations has launched a flash appeal soliciting contributions from the international community to assist the people affected by the floods, Pakistan requested on 27 August that India may channel its contribution to the flood victims through the UN," he added.

NNN