Pakistan accepts India's offer of flood aid

Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi called India's offer a "very welcome initiative".


Afp August 20, 2010

NEW DEHLI: Pakistan has decided to accept flood aid from its neighbour India, saying the offer was a "very welcome initiative" as both countries look to improve their tense relations.

Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi told India's NDTV television in an interview broadcast on Friday that Islamabad would take India's offer of $5 million which was made last Friday. "I can share with you that the government of Pakistan has agreed to accept the Indian offer," Qureshi said from New York, where he addressed a special session of the UN General Assembly called to boost aid for flood victims. "I think this initiative of India is a very welcome initiative."

India and Pakistan have made major efforts in recent months to build confidence in their relations, which were badly strained by the Mumbai 2008 terror attacks, which India blamed on militants from Pakistan. The Unied States urged Pakistan earlier this week to accept the Indian offer and not let rivalry stand in the way of helping its citizens in flood-ravaged regions.

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh rang his Pakistani counterpart Yousaf Raza Gilani on Thursday "to express his sense of sorrow and to condole the deaths resulting from the huge floods," Singh's office said. The catastrophic floods in Pakistan have claimed nearly 1,500 lives and affected 20 million people.

India welcomes decision

New Delhi has welcomed Islamabad's decision to accept Indian aid for flood victims. India's External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson, Vishnu Prakash told reporters in New Delhi that the aid is a goodwill gesture of solidarity. Prakash said his government believed that India and Pakistan share a common destiny and it is in their interest to work together for a cooperative relationship.

COMMENTS (20)

Dr. Altaf ul Hassan | 13 years ago | Reply @ Mr. Shivanshu Goswami. Yes off course but to me it is more important in terms of good-will gesture between the two cuntries than in terms of money.May this good-will gesture progress more and more in future.
Shivanshu Goswami | 13 years ago | Reply I hope our little contribution can bring some relief to those affected by this tragedy.
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