Pakistan, U.S. fear insurgents may exploit devastating floods
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Militants may take advantage of the worst floods in Pakistan in 80 years to increase their weight, Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari and a veteran U.S. senator have warned.
President Zardari and John Kerry, Democratic chairman of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, visited flood-hit regions Thursday, where they saw numerous desperate and grumbling victims.
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Pakistan, with a population of 167 million, has appealed for more urgent humanitarian aid from the international community.
At a press conference with Kerry after the visit, Zardari said, "There is a possibility that some, the negative forces, would exploit this situation, in this time of need."
"They would take babies who become orphans and then put them in their own camps, train them as the terrorists of tomorrow," he added.
Turbulence-weary Pakistan has gained ground in its offensives against Taliban militants over the past few months, but the development is endangered by the recent floods.
Pakistan, a neighbor of Afghanistan, is an important ally of the United States in its anti-terror war. As tens of thousands of U.S. troops are hunting down Taliban rebels in Afghanistan, Pakistan's stability is in the U.S. interests.
Kerry said, "We need to address that rapidly to avoid their (Pakistani's) impatience boiling over, and people exploiting that impatience and I think it's important for all of us to understand that challenge," in an obvious reference to the Taliban. "We also share security concerns."
Many victims of the floods have expressed their frustration and complaint about the government's slowness and incompetence in aid and relief.
Zardari said, "We are giving them everything we've got."
"I am sending an SOS on that. All that catastrophe gives strength to those forces who do not want a state structure," he said.
Media reports said some charities, suspected of having ties with the Taliban, have stepped in to help victims, which possibly may boost their image among some Pakistanis.
The United Nations has issued an appeal for 458 million U.S. dollars to aid Pakistan, and UN Secretary-general Ban Ki-moon said about 60 percent of the fund had been pledged.
Aimed at boosting Pakistan's relief efforts, the United States has planned to earmark 200 million dollars from its 7.5-billion-dollar aid package for Pakistan over five years to be diverted to floods victims.
U.S. Senator Kerry, during his visit to flood-hit regions, said "None of us wants to see this crisis provide an opportunity or an excuse for people who want to exploit the misfortune of others for political or ideological purposes."
"It is important for all of us to work over time to provide the assistance that is necessary," he said.
