Flood refugees attack relief vehicles in Pakistan

ISLAMABAD - Angry refugees ransacked aid vehicles carrying relief goods to flood victims in Pakistan, forcing officials to halt the operation, local media reported Saturday.

Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund and International Organisation for Migration officials told police their vehicles were looted near Jadeywala village, in Muzaffargarh district of Punjab province.

Dawn newspaper quoted aid coordinator Mohammad Kamran as saying that his organisation had suspended its relief operation after the attack.

Similar attacks were reported on vehicles of the Strengthening Participatory Organisation, the newspaper reported.

Muzaffargarh was evacuated Wednesday before approaching floods.

Most refugees living on the edge of the city in temporary shelters have complained about lack of food.

Kamran said the situation turned dangerous because of widespread hunger, and police used batons to disperse an angry mob and recover looted goods.

Malik Asif of Jadeywala said people had been without food and water for four days because relief aid from the district government was insufficient.

Police also arrested five people for stealing goods from relief vehicles. One of the detained men said he did it because he “had nothing to eat”.

The situation was critical as more areas flooded due to breaches in the Muzaffargarh canal.