World community pledges USD 224 million for Pakistan refugees

Islamabad, May 21: The world community today pledged USD 224 million in aid to Pakistan for rehabilitating 1.5 million people affected by its military offensive against the Taliban as the government warned that militants could exploit the vulnerability of the displaced.

The pledges included USD 110 million from the US while the United Nations will launch a flash appeal tomorrow in a bid to raise USD 500 to 600 million for the displaced people, Minister of State for Finance Hina Rabbani Khar said.

About 1.5 million people have been displaced by the military operations launched last month against the Taliban in Buner, Dir and Swat districts of the North West Frontier Province.

Another 500,000 people were forced from their homes by earlier fighting in the northwestern tribal areas.

Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani told an international donors' conference here this morning that relief efforts are essential to ensure that "the militants do not exploit the vulnerability of the displaced population".

The operations against the militants in the NWFP and nearby tribal areas have "started producing positive results" but there are "grave repercussions in terms of massive dislocation of the local population", he said.

"Consequently, there is an urgent need for a joint and comprehensive response to this issue by all those who are committed to fighting terrorism," he added. PTI