Security
Pakistan: Urgent US refugee aid arrives
Islamabad, 26 May (AKI) - By Syed Saleem Shahzad - A shipment of US aid worth more than 330,000 dollars was delivered to Pakistan on Tuesday to help refugees displaced by operations against militants in the country's northwest. The shipment, which includes 50 air conditioning units, 25 power generators and other items, was delivered Chaklala Air Base near Islamabad.
The aid was to be sent to camps set up to house more than 2.5 million refugees who have fled the ongoing conflict in Swat and other districts.
Pakistani military spokesman Major General Athar Abbas said Tuesday that at least 29 militants had been killed in Swat in the past 24 hours and that the government was making good progress in its military offensive.
The Pakistani army is coordinating relief operations and will distribute and erect the tents at the camps.
The United States provided 500 shovels and 5,000 sandbags to anchor the tents used by refugees.
This follows last week’s deliveries by US aircraft of more than 120,000 pre-packed meals and tents.
On 19 May, US secretary of state Hillary Clinton committed 110 million dollars in immediate humanitarian assistance to help displaced people.
The US also provided 50,000 metric tonnes of wheat valued at 16.8 million dollars, and 6,800 metric tonnes of vegetable oil valued at 11.2 million dollars.
This is in addition to the 4.9 million dollars provided to purchase tents, blankets, cooking sets, jerry cans, soap, and bedding.
The US also sent logistical equipment including generators, and transformers to power water pumps, laptop computers, and rental cars.
Last week the United Nations appealed for an additional 454 million dollars to assist nearly two million Pakistanis displaced by fighting between army troops and Taliban militants in the Swat Valley.
The UN has already committed 88 million dollars, bringing the total coast of humanitarian relief to 453 million dollars.
UN officials have said the scale and speed of the unfolding humanitarian crisis in Pakistan is extraordinary.
"The numbers of people who have moved in that last three and half weeks is the highest rate of movement we have seen for more than 20 years anywhere in the world," said Martin Mogwanja, the acting UN coordinator in Pakistan last week.
The aid was to be sent to camps set up to house more than 2.5 million refugees who have fled the ongoing conflict in Swat and other districts.
Pakistani military spokesman Major General Athar Abbas said Tuesday that at least 29 militants had been killed in Swat in the past 24 hours and that the government was making good progress in its military offensive.
The Pakistani army is coordinating relief operations and will distribute and erect the tents at the camps.
The United States provided 500 shovels and 5,000 sandbags to anchor the tents used by refugees.
This follows last week’s deliveries by US aircraft of more than 120,000 pre-packed meals and tents.
On 19 May, US secretary of state Hillary Clinton committed 110 million dollars in immediate humanitarian assistance to help displaced people.
The US also provided 50,000 metric tonnes of wheat valued at 16.8 million dollars, and 6,800 metric tonnes of vegetable oil valued at 11.2 million dollars.
This is in addition to the 4.9 million dollars provided to purchase tents, blankets, cooking sets, jerry cans, soap, and bedding.
The US also sent logistical equipment including generators, and transformers to power water pumps, laptop computers, and rental cars.
Last week the United Nations appealed for an additional 454 million dollars to assist nearly two million Pakistanis displaced by fighting between army troops and Taliban militants in the Swat Valley.
The UN has already committed 88 million dollars, bringing the total coast of humanitarian relief to 453 million dollars.
UN officials have said the scale and speed of the unfolding humanitarian crisis in Pakistan is extraordinary.
"The numbers of people who have moved in that last three and half weeks is the highest rate of movement we have seen for more than 20 years anywhere in the world," said Martin Mogwanja, the acting UN coordinator in Pakistan last week.
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