Pak Taliban asks govt. to reject US aid for flood victims

ISLAMABAD - The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan has urged the government to reject US aid for people affected by the nation’s worst floods in 80 years.

The floods in Pakistan have claimed over 1600 lives and affected 15 million people. A UN report has said the calamity is far worse to the January 13, 2010 Haiti earthquake, the October 8, 2005 Kashmir earthquake and the December 26, 2004 Asian tsunami.

The US has acknowledged that global response to the floods in Pakistan has been inadequate and urged the international community to do more.

Washington has provided 55 million dollars in aid, including 436,000 halal meals and 12 pre-fabricated bridges. The White House said that US helicopters have helped to save more than 1,000 lives in Pakistan, the Dawn reports.

The US also supplied food sufficient to feed about 158,500 people through its partnership with the World Food Programme, and is currently reaching about 35,000 to 49,000 people per day.

“The government should not accept American aid and if it happens, we can give 20 million dollars to them as aid for the flood victims,” said Azam Tariq, a spokesman for TTP.

“We will ourselves distribute relief under leadership of our chief Hakimullah Mehsud among the people if the government assures us that none of our members will be arrested,” a foreign news agency quoted Tariq, as saying.

“We condemn American and other foreign aid and believe that it will lead to subjugation. Our jihad against America will continue,” he added. (ANI)