Ban Ki Moon to visit flood-hit Pakistan: Islamabad

Ban Ki Moon would be arriving in Islamabad on Saturday to assess the damage caused by the deadly floods in Pakistan.

ISLAMABAD: UN chief Ban Ki-moon will arrive in Pakistan late Saturday to visit areas devastated by the country's worst floods in history and to hold talks on relief efforts, the foreign ministry said on Friday.

"The UN secretary general will arrive in Islamabad late on Saturday," foreign office spokesman Abdul Basit told AFP. "He will discuss relief efforts with government leaders on Sunday and visit flood-devastated areas the same day," the spokesman added.

Basit confirmed that Ban's one-day visit will take place two days ahead of one by US Senator John Kerry.

Up to 20 million people face direct or indirect harm. The United Nations believes 1,600 people have died, while Islamabad has confirmed 1,343 deaths.

Welcoming the visits, President Asif Ali Zardari had said the "damage to life, property, livestock and infrastructure was so huge that it could be faced only with the concerted efforts of all the people of Pakistan with the support and assistance of the international community," his spokesman said.