PAKISTAN’S PRESIDENT Asif Zardari yesterday warned that militants could exploit the misery of millions affected by weeks of catastrophic flooding to further their agenda and gain recruits.
Mr Zardari’s comments were backed by US senator John Kerry, who toured some of the most stricken areas of Punjab and visited a relief camp accompanied by the president. Mr Kerry said the US will increase its aid (from $90 million) to $150 million (€117 million). US secretary of state Hillary Clinton officially announced the increase during a special session of the UN General Assembly last night.
Minister for Overseas Development Peter Power, who travelled to New York to attend the meeting, announced an additional €1.19 million in funding, on top of €750,000 already provided to aid agencies Concern and Trócaire.
The destruction wrought by the floods has been particularly pronounced in Pakistan’s northwest, a region where the army has battled rising militancy in recent years.
Several Islamist groups have been carrying out relief work in affected areas. There are fears that the magnitude of the disaster could prompt civil unrest and further destabilise the country.
“All these catastrophes give strength to forces who do not want a state structure,” Mr Zardari said. “There is a possibility that the negative forces would exploit the situation.”