Senator Kerry to visit flood-affected areas in Pakistan

[Lahore_Real_Estate]

WASHINGTON: The United States has thrown its full weight behind Pakistan's move to hold a conference at the United Nations this week as part of efforts to rally greater international support for Islamabad's daunting flood relief effort.

Senator John Kerry, who heads the Foreign Relations Committee and co-authored a major multi-year $7.5 billion aid bill for Pakistan, said the United States has immediately accepted Islamabad's proposal for the international meeting, which is due to take place on Thursday.

He said Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi had asked for a meeting at the UN later in the week.

“Secretary (of State) Hillary Clinton has quickly accepted to be there in person as will (Special Representative) Ambassador (Richard) Holbrooke, and they are going to try to rally other people to the cause,” Kerry said.

The legislator told Washington-based Pakistani journalists before leaving for the South Asian country that he would have a first -hand assessment of the worst natural disaster to hit the country as well determine its impact on the region, where the US has high-stakes engagement for a successful outcome of nine-year old Afghan conflict.

The Democratic senator, who is due to meet top Pakistani political and military leaders during his visit, said the upcoming UN meeting is not specifically a donors conference but an “effort to try to really mobilize people to understand what is at stake.”

“My visit is really also geared to try to raise the understanding that this is not just about floods, not just about displaced people and the misery that comes with this, which is critical, but it is really about Pakistan's ability to move forward (economically) and to survive the difficult situation,” he elaborated, citing the challenges the country was already confronting because of its “stressed economy.

The United States, he stated, “is squarely there” to assist Pakistan, in the face of the unprecedented monsoon flooding that has afflicted 20 million people over 150,000 sq km of the territory.

“And we are proud of that,” he declared.

“The United States is clearly committed to the people of Pakistan in terms of (dealing with) the disaster. No question about that. That is why we have already committed $ 76 million, that is why (US) helicopters have already resuced some 3000 people, supplies have been delivered, half a million meals have been provided. All of these are very direct efforts,” Kerry noted.

“We are there. This relationship is important. We will continue to try to build this relationship,” he added.

Kerry reported widespread recognition of Pakistan's anti-militant progress and support for the ally on the Capitol Hill in this hour of great challenge.

“There is good sense in Congress that the government of Pakistan has made progress (in the fight against militants), taken significant steps, has really tried to address some of the concerns in the last year (or so). Is the job finished ? No, it is not. But there are tangible efforts that have been made that a lot of people would not have anticipated over a year ago,” he remarked.