Pak flood relief: China offers additional 30mn dollars, more troops and choppers

ISLAMABAD - China has offered an additional aid of 30 million dollars for flood relief efforts in Pakistan, taking their total contribution to 500 million dollars, the Chinese ambassador in Pakistan, Lui Jian, has stated.

China will also send more troops and army helicopters for rescue operations in the flood-ravaged country, the Dawn quoted Jian, in a meeting with Pakistan Prime Minister, Yousuf Raza Gilani, as saying.

Jian also delivered a special message from the Chinese Prime Minister to his Pakistani counterpart.

Earlier, US President Obama’s special envoy to Pakistan and Afghanistan, Richard Holbrooke, had criticised Beijing for not doing enough to help Pakistan, and had appealed to them to “step up to the plate” to help Islamabad to cope with the floods, which have submerged nearly one-fifth of the country.

Pledging more aid for flood-hit Pakistan, China had said it would be sending more relief material for the thousands of people affected by the worst deluge to have hit the country in the past 80 years. (ANI)