Pakistan's humanitarian crisis could last through December: US military

[Naveed Yaseen]

WASHINGTON (May 21 2009): Pakistan's humanitarian crisis could last through December after an army offensive against Taliban militants forced 1.5 million people to flee their homes, a senior US military official said on Wednesday. The US defence representative in Islamabad, Rear Admiral Michael LeFever, said Pakistani authorities expected large numbers of displaced people in the north-west would remain at temporary camps to the end of the year.

"It appears that this will last, they say they anticipate this population in IDP (internally displaced persons) camps to last through December," LeFever told reporters in a teleconference. According to the Pakistan government, the number of displaced people would "be consistent around the 1.5 million mark," the admiral said. About 200,000 to 250,000 people were in camps and the other 80 percent of the displaced population were staying with families, he said.

Two US C-17 cargo aircraft carrying food and tents were due to arrive Wednesday in Pakistan with another plane expected Thursday, he said. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced on Tuesday plans to deliver more than 100 million dollars in humanitarian aid to help Pakistanis forced to abandon their homes. Pakistan will host Thursday an international donors' meeting in Islamabad to raise funds to help address the plight of those displaced.

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp...2009_pg5_1