Ban to boost UN help for displaced people: Rehman

Pakistan's Interior Minister, Rehman Malik said Friday he received a positive response from Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon when he sought, during a meeting with him, stepped up UN's humanitarian help to the large number of people displaced by the military action against militants in the Swat region.
Malik met the UN chief for more than an hour, soon after his arrival in New York from Washington, where he was a member of the visiting President, Asif Ali Zardari's entourage. At his meeting with Ban, Malik was accompanied by Pakistani Ambassador, Abdullah Hussain Haroon and senior officials of Pakistan Mission to the United Nations.
Malik said he came to the UN at the invitation of Ban whom he briefed on the security situation in Pakistan as government forces push to flush out the extremists, as well as Islamabad's efforts to promote good relations with Afghanistan and India. According to latest official estimates between 150,000 to 200,000 people have already arrived in safer areas of the NWFP over the last few days, with another 300,000 already on the march or about to leave.
The interior minister said he apprised Ban about the enormity of the task situation and the world body chief promised all possible help in taking care of the internally displaced people. The secretary-general, he said, was asking relevant UN agencies to carry out an assessment of Pakistan's needs to deal with the serious situation brought upon it by militants' actions.
Malik also said he also proposed to the UN Secretary-General to launch a global campaign to create awareness among peoples at large that the ideology the militants were protecting, was not in accordance with the principle of Islam, which is a religion of peace.
This could be done though exposing their diabolical deeds through ads and videos. He said the UN chief agreed to consider his proposal. The minister said he also told Ban that Pakistan was co-operating with India in investigating the Mumbai attacks. But he emphasised that New Delhi must provide concrete evidence so that necessary action could be taken.