The United States Wednesday categorically said that Obama administration would not support a government other than 'democratically elected' in Pakistan. Washington also made it clear that its help to Islamabad in coping with the devastating floods must not be seen in the context of War on Terror.
Also, he said, a part of $7.5 billion Kerry-Lugar civilian aid to the crises-hit country would be switched to the post-floods 'emergency'. "I am not going to comment on the past but this administration supports civilian democratically elected government in Pakistan," Richard Holbrooke, US president's special envoy to Pakistan and Afghanistan, told a questioner during a joint press conference with Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah here at Chief Minister's House.
Among others US Consul General in Karachi William Martin, Sindh Finance Minister Murad Ali Shah, Power and Irrigation Minister Jam Saifullah Dharejo and Advisor to CM on Planning and Development Dr Kaiser Bengali were also present on the occasion. According to Holbrooke, the US government had a great respect for Pakistan Army which he said was part of the present government. "Leadership must come from Islamabad and Karachi... and from the people," he maintained. The high-ranking US official also clarified that Washington's aid and assistance for the flood affected people had nothing to do with the War on Terror or war in Afghanistan.
"One may be very clear that US is helping Pakistan in this greatest need not because of War on Terror... (or) war in Afghanistan but because your country needs help," he said. Expressing his side's indifference to setting priorities for relief work in the flood-affected areas, Holbrook said the American Congress had approved switching of the $7.5 billion Kerry-Lugar aid to the flood emergency.
He said the development projects that were to be undertaken under the civilian aid were likely to be delayed because of shift of priorities to the flood emergency. Expressing grief over the great floods-related devastation's in Pakistan that had risked the survival of "thousands and thousands" of desperate people, the US envoy said his government had already diverted some $50 million out of the Kerry-Lugar bill to the relief works. He also made it clear that there were no US troops present in Pakistan and it was the local government to deal with the militancy-related problems in its tribal areas.
Appreciative of Pakistanis' resilience to the disaster, the US envoy also lauded Islamabad for doing its "very best" to cope with the natural calamity. Assuring an all-out support of his government, Holbrook said the world had now fully awakened to the appalling condition of flood affected people and would respond positively.
Categorising the relief work into three phases - rescue, relief and reconstruction - Holbrooke said Pakistan would find the American people along in every phase of rehabilitation. He said a high-level UN delegation was also due in Pakistan on Sunday. Earlier, Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah thanked the US delegation for extending a helping hand to the people of Pakistan in this time of grave crisis.
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