Kerry announces $200 mn aid for flood-hit Pakistan

ISLAMABAD - US Senator John Kerry Thursday announced an aid of $200 million from the US for Pakistan, and warned that fundamentalist elements could utilise the opportunity if the world did not step forward to help the flood-ravaged people.

Kerry, with Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari by his side, was addressing a press conference in Islamabad Thursday evening after a visit to the flood-affected areas in Sindh and Punjab earlier in the day.

Lamenting the loss of life and infrastructure in one of the worst natural disasters in the country, Kerry said the world was slowly but gradually coming to realise the devastation caused by the floods. He promised all possible help for the rehabilitation of the displaced people.

Kerry, an architect of the Kerry-Lugar bill for easing financial burden on Pakistan, said that the US was aware of the challenges confronting the country like terrorism, energy crisis and the recent floods.

Kerry said that US President Barack Obama was himself keenly monitoring the situation in Pakistan.

Zardari, speaking on the occasion, thanked the visiting US senator and said that the nation will emerge stronger from this hour of crisis. He promised that all displaced people will be provided shelter and the problems will be overcome with help pouring in from all over the world.

(Awais Saleem can be contacted at great_wall165@yahoo.co.uk)