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India offers $5m aid to flood-hit in Pakistan
TNN, Aug 14, 2010, 04.11am IST
NEW DELHI: As Pakistan's hapless millions prepare for another flood surge, India finally stepped up to the table. Foreign ministerS M Krishna called up his counterpart Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Friday to offer aid of $5 million for the flood hit in Pakistan.
India's offer of aid has taken its time, and comes after UN secretary general Ban-ki Moon put out a global appeal for over $450 million in flood relief for Pakistan. Considering India is invariably one of the first to rush emergency aid to countries in the neighbourhood, its hesitation in announcing relief in this instance was baffling to say the least.
The MEA, normally quite good with rolling out aid diplomacy, was unusually reticent. The rest of the world, apart from the US, has not been overly generous either.
During Pakistan's massive earthquake in October 2005, India sent three consignments of relief material like blankets, medicines etc. For the first time ever, IAF planes landed in Islamabad to deliver relief material. But afterwards, officials reported that Pakistani authorities had ripped off made in India' labels from relief material before distributing them, because it was easier to believe that India had not helped out during the earthquake. India had made a cash contribution to Pakistan's relief efforts, but Pakistan never used it, which led to a feeling of rejection in the Indian side.
India offers $5m aid to flood-hit in Pakistan - India - The Times of India