Foreign Office briefing: Missions told to open flood donation accounts

FO spokesperson says the accounts will collect funds from both overseas Pakistanis and international donors

ISLAMABAD:

Pakistan is counting on its nationals living abroad and their donor friends to throw a lifeline to its swelling list of flood survivors.

On Thursday, the federal government directed its missions abroad to open bank accounts to accept donations from overseas Pakistanis and international donors for relief efforts.

At her weekly news briefing, Foreign Office spokesperson Tasnim Aslam told reporters that Pakistan had still  not launched an appeal for international assistance for its flood survivors.



“But our missions have been asked to open an account – the Prime Minister’s Flood Relief Fund 2014. These accounts will accept funds from [overseas] Pakistanis and international sources,” she said.

In response to a question, the spokesperson said the water issue between Pakistan and India was very important.

“We have the Indus Waters Treaty according to which water is distributed between the two countries. As the lower riparian, we have certain rights,” she said.



According to her, there are a number of studies that have pointed out environmental degradation as a result of the military activity in Siachen.

“There have been a number of suggestions and some of them were taken on board by Pakistan. But even without calls from think tanks and NGOs, we know these issues need to be addressed between Pakistan and India,” she said.

In the wake of heavy rains causing destruction on both sides of the Line of Control (LoC), Pakistan and India offered each other assistance for the affected population.

PM’s adviser to attend SCO summit

Adviser to the Prime Minister on National Security and Foreign Affairs Aziz has left for Dushanbe, Tajikistan, as the head of a delegation representing Pakistan at the meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation’s (SCO) Council of Heads of State, the FO spokesperson said.

Currently, Tajikistan holds the chairmanship of the SCO under the motto of “Cooperation, Co-development and Co-prosperity.”

The SCO comprises six member states, five observers and three dialogue partners. Established in June 2001, the SCO aims at strengthening friendly relations amongst states, maintenance of peace, stability and security in the region, building a new, just and rational international political and economic order, joint efforts in combating terrorism, extremism, separatism and the menace of narcotic substances.

Tasnim said Pakistan subscribes to the principles of the SCO contained in its charter.  “As an observer of the SCO, Pakistan has been making substantive contributions for regional peace, security and development in SCO Heads of State Council and Heads of Government Council meetings. It is a matter of satisfaction that Pakistan’s request for membership of SCO is under active consideration of SCO members,” she said.

The adviser, during his visit, would also hold bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the summit.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 12^th, 2014.