Europe releases another 10 million euros to Pakistan

BRUSSELS: Europe released 10 million euros in emergency aid to help Pakistan's flood victims on Wednesday, taking total humanitarian aid over the past 12 months to more than 110 million euros.

The European Commission decision “takes immediate effect and comes as an addition to the 30 million euros for humanitarian assistance allocated” on July 30, said a statement from the EU's day-to-day executive.

“My heartfelt condolences go to all those affected by this crisis and the European Union stands ready to support Pakistan both in financial and political terms in dealing with the consequences of this terrible event,” said Catherine Ashton, EU foreign affairs chief.

The floods have affected nearly 14 million people already, with a third of the country under water, almost 300,000 houses damaged and the more populous south now endangered.

The money will go towards clean drinking water, shelter, food, blankets, hygiene kits and medical assistance, the commission said.

Pakistan issued fresh flood warnings on Wednesday and called on foreign donors to step up aid to contain the country's worst humanitarian disaster.

The United Nations was to launch an international appeal in New York. It believes 1,600 people have died in the floods while Pakistan has confirmed 1,243 deaths.

The United States announced on Tuesday it would increase its flood aid by another 20 million dollars to 55 million dollars.

Incompetent board affecting team: Mani

ISLAMABAD: Former ICC president Ehsan Mani says the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is not equipped to revive international cricket in Pakistan while Ijaz Butt is in charge.

“There’s a possibility of an international XI touringPakistan within one year, but it’s impossible for the present board working under Ijaz Butt to fully revive international cricket in Pakistan,” Mani was quoted as sayng in a local daily on Wednesday.

The PCB is yet to submit a report on last year’s militant attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team’s bus at Lahore that left six police officials and a van driver dead. The gunmen also injured several Sri Lankan team players and officials.

A Lahore high court judge has heavily criticized senior police officials in his report for being ill-prepared, poorly equipped and incompetent in their efforts to prevent the attack on March 3, 2009.

“Until this report is handed over to the ICC, revival of international cricket in Pakistan is impossible,” he said.

Mani said the PCB had promised presidential level security to the Sri Lankan cricket team, but “it has thus far not been able to fix the responsibility of the attack on anyone.”

Mani said he was willing to help Pakistan, but he needed complete independence to run the affairs of cricket.

“If the board is run like it is nowadays, it will affect the team’s performance,” he said.

“There is a lot of confusion in the decision making of the PCB which is also damaging country’s image.”

Mani also said the actions of PCB chairman Butt should be more accountable saying: “without accountability there is no chance of improvement.”

Parliamentarian Iqbal Mohammad Ali has also written a two-page letter to President Asif Ali Zardari, the PCB’s patron, calling for the removal of Butt as PCB chairman.

Butt took over from Nasim Ashraf in Oct. 2008, but has since come under severe criticism by former test cricketers and parliamentarians.

President Zardari rejects criticism of foreign trip

SINGAPORE: President Asif Ali Zardari has defended his decision to travel abroad while the country battled the worst floods in decades, saying he had helped focus international attention on the plight of the victims.

Zardari has faced the brunt of public anger as the administration struggles to help an estimated 14 million people hit by the floods, compounding the misery of a nation tackling a deadly militancy and a failing economy.

But in an opinion piece for the Wall Street Journal, Zardari said he had used his trip to France and Britain to mobilise foreign assistance, money and food for the flood victims.

“Some have criticised my decision, saying it represented aloofness, but I felt that I had to choose substance over symbolism,” he said.

The British government had pledged $24 million in aid, following his meeting with Prime Minister David Cameron, Zardari said. He had also been in touch with the US
government, which had promised $35 million in relief funds.

The floods triggered by heavy monsoon rain over the upper reaches of the Indus river basin have ploughed a swathe of destruction more than 1,000 km long from northern Pakistan to the southern province of Sindh. More than 1,600 people have died.

The United Nations says the disaster is the biggest the country has ever faced and it would cost billions of dollars to rehabilitate the victims and rebuild ruined infrastructure.

“As I return to Pakistan, I bring back tangible results that will help the flood victims in the short run and lay the foundations for national recovery in the long run,” Zardari said.

“I might have benefitted personally from the political symbolism of being in the country at the time of natural disaster. But hungry people can't eat symbols. The situation demanded action, and I acted to mobilise the world.”

Even before the floods struck, Zardari's approval ratings had been falling. Only one in five Pakistanis viewed him positively, a poll by the US-based Pew Research Center released late last month showed.

His prime rival, ex-prime minister Nawaz Sharif, had a 71 per cent favourability rating, according to the poll.

Parts of Sindh, Punjab on alert as fresh flood warning issued

SUKKUR: Pakistan issued fresh flood warnings on Wednesday, putting parts of Punjab and Sindh on alert and calling on foreign donors to step up to contain the country's worst humanitarian disaster.

The United Nations was to launch an international appeal in New York, calling for hundreds of millions of dollars to provide urgent assistance to six million people it says now depend on aid for survival.

Pakistan's government has admitted being unable to cope with the scale of the crisis and an outpouring of rage from survivors and the political opposition is compounding pressure on President Asif Ali Zardari.

Religious charities have plugged some of the vacuum.

The meteorological service warned of floods in Hyderabad district, which could spread devastation further south in Sindh province, and issued a “significant” flood forecast for Kalabagh and Chashma in Punjab.

Local governments in both provinces, considered the breadbasket of Pakistan, also issued warnings about more flooding in the days ahead, although the chief minister in Sindh acknowledged that the immediate danger had passed.

Punjab officials said more than 90 per cent of the town of Kot Addu had emptied and that flooding had cut electricity and gas production, shutting down thousands of factories.

The chief minister of Sindh, Syed Qaim Ali Shah, told a small group of reporters that up to 3.5 million people could be affected in the province, although loss of life had been negligible.

“Up to 40 kilometres of Indus Highway is inundated and has been closed. The initial rough estimates show that losses of 35 billion rupees, excluding crops, have been suffered by Sindh,” he said.

“I think the actual losses will be much higher. We feel that without substantial foreign assistance it will be difficult for Sindh and rest of the country to redevelop and rehabilitate its people.”

“What we need is substantial foreign aid and not peanuts. The aid being pledged so far is peanuts and not enough to meet the enormous challenge ahead.

“The immediate danger is almost over, but we are concerned about the next possible big wave of flooding as predicted by the Met department.

“If it is progressive flow it should be fine, but if it comes at once then it will be a trouble.”

Pakistan says 14 million people are facing direct or indirect harm, while the United Nations has warned that children are among the most vulnerable victims, with diarrhoea the biggest health threat and measles a serious concern.

SC hears petitions challenging 18th Amendment

ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry on Wednesday said that in the parliamentary form of government, the prime minister is the chief executive and his role in the process of judges' appointments cannot be restricted.

Chief Justice Iftikhar made these remarks during a hearing of petitions challenging the 18th Amendment.

A 17-judge full court was hearing the petitions challenging certain clauses in the amendment.

During the hearing, Chief Justice Iftikhar said that in case the government completes its five year term, the judicial commission will become defunct for a period of 90 days.

"Will judges' appointments and confirmations remain suspended for that period...institutions need to be functional under all circumstances," he said.

LHC extends judicial remand of Hamesh Khan

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court adjourned the hearings of Hamesh Khan for two weeks on Wednesday. Khan is the main accused in Punjab Bank scandal.

Khan’s lawyers filed a bail application in the Lahore High Court, claiming that there were still no proofs against their client, despite him being in physical remand since the past 90 days.

Answering the application, Chief Justice Lahore High Court, Khawaja Muhammad Sharif said that Hamesh Khan had been in exile since many years and asked why he was in a rush for bail.

The LHC also dismissed another application which was filed by Khan’s lawyers who were requesting to transfer the case to another bench.

Australian planes to deliver aid in Pakistan floods

SYDNEY: Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard Wednesday committed two military planes to assist relief efforts in Pakistan, saying Australians wanted to help those facing catastrophic floods.

The C-17 Globemaster aircraft, which will deliver emergency supplies, are in addition to the 10 million dollars (9.04 million US) in aid Australia had already committed, she said.

“Many Australians are deeply concerned by the worsening humanitarian crisis as the rains continue,” Gillard said in a statement.

The floods have left six million people dependent on humanitarian help for their survival, according to the United Nations, which has estimated that 1,600 people have died as a result of the rains.

Gillard said the unfolding disaster in Pakistan required a global response and Australia was committed to helping the country recover and rebuild.

“As Pakistan's needs become clearer, Australia will consider what further assistance to provide,” the prime minister said. – AFP