One fifth of Pakistan is flooded by heavy monsoon rains (the disaster area is larger than all of Khorasan)and 20 million Pakistanis are suffering because of it. Iran has committed 400 tons of relief goods and so far delivered 180 tons. These relief goods are in the form of tents, medical supplies, clothing and food. Also Iran’s Red Crescent Society is cooperating on the ground with Pakistan’s Red Crescent Society. Some collected khoms from Iranians is going to help Pakistani flood victims; in addition there has been a $1 million pledge.
As far as aid from other Islamic nations go, Marc Ginsberg former US ambassador to Morocco calls the response of Arab oil producing nations “pathetic.” The UN request of $460 million is being met mostly by Britain, US and other Western nations. Ginsberg says:
“The paltry and pathetic response so far to Pakistan’s plight from Arab oil producing states is particularly disturbing. Why, I ask, are wealthy Arab states so slow coming to the rescue of fellow Muslims from their accumulated oil revenue surplus? The Arab OPEC states are awash in cash. With this being the holy month of Ramadan — when charitable deeds are of particular significance — one wonders why the cries of fellow Muslim desperation are hardly being heard! Surely, the Arab media is covering this compelling humanitarian tragedy.”
Ginsberg is talking about cash on the barrel, not pledges. If we go by pledges Saudi Arabia has allocated $100 million–which according to Ginsberg hasn’t materialized. The pakistani media is similary shocked.
1.s a link to Ambassador Ginsberg’s article.
2. Here’s a link to a country by country pledges to help Pakistan through this disaster (Actual delivery of pledges
is not addressed).
3.I couldn’t find Israel on this list, perhaps because of this statement in the previous link: “A Taliban spokesperson asked the Pakistani government to reject Western help from “Christians and Jews” indicating that, instead, the Taliban can raise $20 million.”
