Pak rejects Indian aid, asks to send through UN

Islamabad, Aug 29: Pakistan rejected the Indian offer of $5 million aid for flood victims directly and wants it to be routed through the United Nations.

On Saturday, Aug 28, Pakistani channel Dunya TV reported that Pakistan Foreign Office spokesman Abdul Basit asked India to send the flood aid through UN. He also told that the UN was the flagship organisation for all foreign aid pouring into the country from different parts of the world for flood-hit people.

"We have asked them to hand over this assistance package to the UN organisations who are working in India as well," said Abdul Basit.

"We have appreciated the offer but it"ll not be appropriate to publicly discuss the reasons involved in deciding to route it through UN," he added.

Pakistan accepted Indian aid after so much controversy. Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh called up his Pakistani counterpart Yousuf Raza Gilani Aug 19 to reiterate the offer. Finally, Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi confirmed to media in New York, on the sidelines of UN General Assembly"s special session, Aug 20 that Pakistan has decided to accept the offer.

But on Saturday, Pakistan again announced the reluctance to accept the Indian offer directly.

OneIndia News