NEW DELHI: (AMN) India on Tuesday decided to increase its humanitarian aid to Pakistan’s flood victims. External affairs minister S.M. Krishna told the Lok that the assistance would go up to $25 million. The amount is five time more as announced earlier by the government of India.
The minister said that the aid has been increased after a more concrete assessment of the damage inflicted by the natural disaster in Pakistan .
“We cannot remain unconcerned with this grave humanitarian crisis of enormous magnitude in our immediate neighbourhood,” he said. The aid will be routed through the UN.
Krishna said the floods had caused widespread damage to life and property. “All four provinces of Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir have suffered the consequences. Latest reports indicate that the flood situation in Sindh continues to deteriorate even as flood waters recede in Punjab,” said Krishna.
India had promised relief material worth $5 million on August 13 which Pakistan had accepted after initial unwillingness.
On August 19, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had expressed India’s willingness to do more in a telephonic conversation with his Pakistani counterpart Yousaf Raza Gilani.
