World must do more in respect of 'Pakistan's Katrina' : Kerry

Washington, Aug 30(ANI): US Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman John Kerry has urged the international community to extend more help to flood-hit Pakistan, saying that the "world isn't keeping up with the challenge" posed by the disaster.

Kerry, who co-authored the five-year 7.5 billion-dollar civilian aid bill for Pakistan, had visited the country earlier this month.

"Much more needs to be done by foreign governments and private citizens alike," The Dawn quoted Kerry, as writing in an article for The Boston Globe.

"This is Pakistan's Katrina. It's not just that one-fifth of the country - an area about the size of New England - is submerged. Nor is it that, with weeks left in the monsoon season, it could get worse. More than 1,600 people have been killed, six million are homeless, and more than 17 million have been affected in some way."

"Those chilling numbers don't convey what I saw when our helicopter touched down in Multan on the Punjab plains. This is no isolated hamlet, but an ancient city, a district capital with a population of over 1.5 million. And it's inundated with water," he added.

The senator also emphasized on the need for transparency in how the US money was being spent in Pakistan, and "tailoring our assistance to what Pakistanis want".

He further said that the danger of the floods extends beyond a very real humanitarian crisis.

"A stable and secure Pakistan, based on democracy and the rule of law, is in all of our interests. Pakistan has made enormous strides in combating extremism and terrorism - at great sacrifice by its soldiers, police, and citizens. But its ability to keep up the fight requires an effective response to this crisis," Kerry said.

The US has so far committed 200 million dollars to help Pakistan from its worst-ever natural disaster. (ANI)