Afghan
refugee children in Peshawar, Pakistan, await food aid.
The Daily Mail, Pakistan
America 'Mocks' Chinese Aid to Pakistan at its Own Risk
"The
Daily Mail advises the United States that it should focus on its own flood
relief efforts and avoid criticizing China or trying to drive a wedge between
two close friends. If they don't, it will prove counterproductive and breed
more animosity toward the United States."
In a competitive world, where
nations vie to outdo one another in development, growth and progress, even aid
to countries in distress can fall victim to competition. With the worst natural
calamity in its six and a quarter decade history, Pakistan is facing disaster
and mayhem. The deluge struck the people of Pakistan unawares. The worst-ever
torrential rains, combined with unprecedented flooding, aggravated by India’s
release of excess dam water without prior warning, has resulted in a massive
catastrophe. Over 17.5 million people have been displaced and 1,600 lives lost,
with the death toll threatening to skyrocket due to disease, malnutrition and
exposure to the elements.
The international community
has been a bit late in responding to the crisis, mostly because it's unexpected
enormity. This is a disaster of biblical proportions. But once the magnitude of
the crisis was brought to the notice of the world and the U.N. secretary general
himself visited the flood-stricken region, aid began to slow. The U.S.
initially took the lead, followed by Britain and China.
However, The Daily Mail
finds it abhorrent that some Western sources have begun listing countries based
on the amount of pledged aid - as if there this were some kind of competition.
What's worse was that U.S. officials, led by special envoy to Pakistan and
Afghanistan Richard
Holbrooke, have been taunting other countries for not doing enough. Mr.
Holbrooke’s special target has been China. His grouse is that, despite the U.S.
providing material and monetary help to Pakistan, the majority of Pakistanis
don't like the U.S. and prefer China as a friend. Mr. Holbrooke
undiplomatically taunted Beijing, even asking “Where is Pakistan’s all-weather
friend?”
Flood-stricken Pakistanis wait outside a food and relief center
Such mockery of true friends
of Pakistan is entirely uncalled for, especially since China has been there for
Pakistan at every juncture and at every moment of trial and tribulation,
whereas the U.S. has provided aid when it suited U.S. interests, but has spurned
it when it has not. America has even gone as far as imposing curbs, embargos
and sanctions on its ally Pakistan.
Posted by WORLDMEETS.US
Chinese support has come
without strings. In the case of the recent flooding, China itself has been a
victim, which included one of the worst mudslides in its history. These took
the lives of 1500 people and affected over 10,000, yet it has bent over backwards
to help its neighbor in distress. Pakistani Ambassador to China, Masood Khan,
has expressed appreciation for China’s timely aid and rejected criticism of
Beijing’s contribution.
“China was one of the first
countries to respond to our relief needs when the worst flooding in 81 years
came. China moved with speed,” the China Daily quoted him as saying. “It
isn't fair for any country or person to make oblique references to China’s
relief assistance to Pakistan or to urge it to do more,” he added.
Chinese aid has risen to over
$20 million, composed mainly of tents, water purification plants and other
things that the Pakistani people urgently need. In addition, a 55-member international
search and rescue team arrived in Islamabad on August 26. The team, which
includes 36 doctors and 19 technical personnel, also brought 25 tons of
high-tech medical equipment and medicine worth $1.17 million. The team was
transferred immediately to help people fight water-borne and other diseases in Thatta,
in Sindh Province. It should be noted that the team comprises 35 female doctors
to attend to the special needs of women affected by the floods. The Daily
Mail advises the United States that it should focus on its own flood relief
efforts and avoid criticizing China or trying to drive a wedge between two
close friends. If they don't, it will prove counterproductive and breed more
animosity toward the United States.
