With a little help from our friends

As Pakistan, crippled by the floods, is forced to bring out the begging bowl once again, it is learning a lot about which international friends it can rely on in its greatest hour of need. While the total flood aid received is well below what we need, some countries have shown themselves to be better friends than others. No surprises then that the US, which was at the forefront of earthquake aid in 2005, has once again given more money and logistical help than any other country, with aid totaling $70 million and the use of nearly two dozen military helicopters to airlift supplies and survivors. Given the recent fractures in our relations with the UK, it is heartening that the British have pledged $32 million, the second highest amount. It was then insensitive of UN Ambassador Abdullah Hussain Haroon to blame British Prime Minister David Cameron’s remarks, on our alleged support of the Taliban, for the international community’s lethargic response. While it is true that Pakistan’s poor image is partly responsible for the difficulty in securing aid, blaming it on one remark rather than on our own actions is hardly accurate. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who visited the affected areas, should be thanked for bringing to the world’s attention the severity of the disaster and doing all he can to ensure that more aid is forthcoming and is utilised effectively.

However, China, always touted as our most steadfast friend, initially offered only $1.5 million and later increased it to just over $7 million. Given that China itself has experienced heavy flooding, that could be a reason for their relatively low aid, although one would have hoped that this would make them empathise more with our situation. India may have been tardy with its offer of $5 million but, all our political differences aside, we need to accept that money straight away rather than dilly-dally. This could be the catalyst for an improvement in relations and, more importantly, nearly 20 million flood-affected people all over the country are crying out for help.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 18^th, 2010.