India should offer help to Pakistan, whether Pakistan accepts it or not

Society Pakistan & World Affairs
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You see many Indians donating to Red Cross , Eidhi foundation and other international organizations for the Pakistan floods. Indian organizations outside India are collecting funds for floods victims. Expat Indians and Pakistanis are joining hand for flood relief.

India officially should have offered assistance to Pakistan , whether Pakistan accepts it or not. It is very likely Pakistan will not accept India’s help, but India should have made the offer. India has lost a big opportunity …

India should have forgot about the way its aid was not used in Kashmir quake.

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http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2010\08\13\story_13-8-2010_pg7_24

As far as neighbours such as India and Afghanistan are concerned, Pakistan can least expect from both, since none of the two had offered anything so far. As for India, which offered $500 million in aid during the 2005 Kashmir earthquake, the offer was refused by Pakistani authorities in the first place and whatever was allowed in was let to rot at security check posts on the border

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NEW DELHI: As Pakistan’s hapless millions prepare for another flood surge, the government is debating whether to send flood relief to Pakistan and what form it should take.

Considering India is invariably one of the first to rush emergency aid and relief to countries in the neighbourhood, its hesitation in this instance is baffling to say the least. The MEA, normally quite good with rolling out aid diplomacy, has been unusually reticent. Though the rest of the world, apart from the US, has not been overly generous, India’s complete silence is raising eyebrows.

During Pakistan’s massive earthquake in October 2005, India sent three consignments of relief material like tents, blankets medicines etc. For the first time ever, IAF planes landed in Islamabad to deliver relief material.

But afterwards, officials reported that Pakistani authorities had ripped off `made in India’ labels from relief material before distributing them, because it was easier to believe that India had not helped out during the earthquake. India had also made a cash contribution to Pakistan’s relief efforts, but Pakistan never used it, which led to a feeling of rejection in the Indian side.

Nevertheless, India may have passed up on a unique diplomatic opportunity with Pakistan, even if the latter rejected India’s overtures. Pakistan’s calamity this time is several times worse than the 2005 earthquake. Earlier this year, India sent $5 million in aid to faraway Haiti.

Haiti received far more aid from the world, but Pakistan, whose calamity is far greater, is finding it an uphill task. Now that UN secretary general Ban-ki Moon has issued a worldwide appeal for over $450 million as aid to Pakistan, India may come forward with some relief. But India may have lost a big opportunity.

India still debating whether to send aid to Pakistan - India - The Times of India India still debating whether to send aid to Pakistan | India News - Times of India

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Re: India should offer help to Pakistan, whether Pakistan accepts it or not

In the article posted by you :

Does that answer your question about Indian ambivalence regarding giving Aid to Pakistan. We have precious little resources. And we can not waste what we have because of Pakistani politicians' penchant for playing petty politics with their own citizen's lives.

Edited later:

Oh I read this little gem later:

[QUOTE]
India should have forgot about the way its aid was not used in Kashmir quake.
[/QUOTE]

If you are a Pakistani than I don't have any problem. If you are an Indian you ought to be ashamed. You would rather let the supplies rot at some border post than feed our own hungry. Have you forgotten we have more poor than the poorest 28 African nations ?

Disgusting !

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Re: India should offer help to Pakistan, whether Pakistan accepts it or not

**India offers $6.8m to Pakistan **

NEW DELHI - INDIA offered US$5 million (S$6.8 million) in assistance to Pakistan on Friday to help its neighbour cope with devastating floods that have affected more than 14 million people.
The offer came as aid agencies appealed to the international community to rush through US$460 million dollars in help for Pakistan, warning of a potential ‘second wave’ of deaths due to disease from the flooding.

http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Asia/Story/STIStory_565988.html

‘India has offered the assistance for provision of relief material from India for the victims of the massive floods,’ the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

India’s External Affairs Minister SM Krishna had a telephone conversation with his Pakistani counterpart, Shah Mahmood Qureshi, and ‘conveyed deepest sympathies and condolence to the people of Pakistan,’ the statement said.

The Indian offer of assistance comes during a period of strained relations between the nuclear-armed rivals which have fought three wars, two over the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir.

Pakistan’s government says 14 million people face direct or indirect harm from the floods, while the United Nations has warned that children are among the most vulnerable.-- AFP

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Re: India should offer help to Pakistan, whether Pakistan accepts it or not

I hope this is in terms of supplies rather than cash. It's not that I don't feel for the victims, but I am sure that most of this Aid will be diverted to some obscure storehouse.
Anyway I hope they don't ask us to remove "Made in India" tags like during the earthquakes.

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Re: India should offer help to Pakistan, whether Pakistan accepts it or not

**

hope India helps itself too

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Re: India should offer help to Pakistan, whether Pakistan accepts it or not

Precisely Manisha. Thanks for accentuating my concern..

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Re: India should offer help to Pakistan, whether Pakistan accepts it or not

India shouldn't be donating anything to anybody. There are millions and millions of poor people. It's not just about Pakistan. I don't understand why India give Burma and Bhutan donations.

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Re: India should offer help to Pakistan, whether Pakistan accepts it or not

Yesterday there were some stats on TV claiming that India blocked water in March (which it should've have - against treaty) and then released it with the current flood waters (against treaty again).
On top of that - They could've warned about their actions, but they didn't.

These are just allegations - but if the perception is that this did happen, then who would accept donation?

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Re: India should offer help to Pakistan, whether Pakistan accepts it or not

Really sad if India did these inhumane acts. I know India hates Pakistan but at these times they really went far.

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Re: India should offer help to Pakistan, whether Pakistan accepts it or not

PrinceMS bhai can't you post a news link or some source that supports what you've said. not sayin i don't believe you. right now it's just hearsay

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Re: India should offer help to Pakistan, whether Pakistan accepts it or not

sharababee said :

[QUOTE]
India shouldn't be donating anything to anybody. There are millions and millions of poor people. It's not just about Pakistan. I don't understand why India give Burma and Bhutan donations.
[/QUOTE]

Sharaabee there is something called Aid diplomacy. India ( and other nations) do not offer aid for some idealistic reasons but rather to win good will for India amongst the local populace, which strengthens the hand of pro-Indian forces in these countries. These politicians can then help us in trade concessions, pro India policies,etc. So in the long run it does help the Indian poor. But in Pakistan's case, goodwill earned, if any will be lost, the moment someone hollers the K word.

[QUOTE]
Yesterday there were some stats on TV claiming that India blocked water in March (which it should've have - against treaty) and then released it with the current flood waters (against treaty again).
On top of that - They could've warned about their actions, but they didn't.
[/QUOTE]

I was just waiting for conspiracy theories to start appearing. Refer to my other post about Military-Feudal Complex. Disgraceful !

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Re: India should offer help to Pakistan, whether Pakistan accepts it or not

You Pakistanis shall ever remain most moron and full of doubts and conspiracy ridden beliefs about India. Now, one idiot says that India released enough water without warning. Pakistanis have developed this neurological disorder of doubt (without any remote proof) over the time. No one can treat it. If your neighbour who is your erstwhjile brother (test your DNA and genes) is out to helping you in your hour of hardship, you are bent upon playing worst politics of that.
Remember all those stranded in water and fighting hunger and disease, a single penny helped by any ( even from enemy) may become a soother for their wounds. The haters and corrupt govt is playing its own ill agendas. Don't criticize any one and go to help the needy otherwise there is no meaning of uttering 'INSHAALLAH' after every sentence by most pakistanis, certifying oneself that he is a greater Muslim.

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Re: India should offer help to Pakistan, whether Pakistan accepts it or not

I agree with the intention to a certain extent but does having Burma and Bhutan on your side really help India in getting any pro India policies on the global stage? They are insignificant countries.

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Re: India should offer help to Pakistan, whether Pakistan accepts it or not

I agree with you.

Also, even if these pro India policies would help sometime in the future (which may take a lot of time), it does not help the poor at present. How can we starve our people of our own crop while trying to attain goodwill from other countries. What is the point of it? Just impressing the western media about India's growing superpower status.

What kind of superpower are we trying to be, where are trying to get rid of poverty by starving the poor to death.

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Re: India should offer help to Pakistan, whether Pakistan accepts it or not

Pakistan doesn't want any aid from India. But thanks anyways for the dams you guys are building on rivers flowing to Pakistan :)

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Re: India should offer help to Pakistan, whether Pakistan accepts it or not

@sharabee

No country is "insignificant". These two countries have helped us to tackle NE ingsurgencies. Maybe you need to readup more before making such comments.

@net_dawg

The "superpower" image helps us to get things our way when negotiating with other superpowers. If the other superpower had their way India will be swamped with foreign products, ruining our industries. Where are the poor going to work then ? In order to withstand the strong-arm tactics of other countries we have to be percieved to be strong. Otherwise they will walk all over us like they did for first 40 yrs of independence.

The problems of malnutrition and starvation have nothing to do with our foreign policies. We have surplus grains. It's because of administrative corruption and apathy that most of it rots in warehouses. The solution is to improve and overhaul the Public Distribution System to ensure better dispersal of subsidised food.

Edit: Guys do not feed the troll

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Re: India should offer help to Pakistan, whether Pakistan accepts it or not

why dont you indians go and discuss this on some indian forum ?

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Re: India should offer help to Pakistan, whether Pakistan accepts it or not

dams r not build to harm pakistan more projects r on a way only for irrigational purposes evry country does that india is a growing economy needs a lot of resourses-

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Re: India should offer help to Pakistan, whether Pakistan accepts it or not

We do not need to be a superpower to stop other superpowers from dumping their products in our country. Neither do we need to donate the money that can be better utilized for betterment of the country.

Agreed that the problem with starvation is not the lack of food grains but storage and distribution network, but rather than building these facilities and infrastructure our governments mind is diverted towards foreign policy. The PM most of the time talk about India's foreign policy and national security and seldom speaks of grave malnutrition and starvation in our country. With the amount of money that the country has (and spends on illogical and useless things) even a small fraction is utilized for the betterment of infrastructure in the agricultural sector (storage and distribution) our country would be a far better place.

I am not saying that India should be detached from the rest of the world till the rest of eternity. Providing aid to a suffering country is a very noble deed, especially aiding an enemy state is highly applaudable but we should focus more on our internal issue before aiding others. Our PM needs to stop wasting time with his foreign policies and start taking care of the country.

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Re: India should offer help to Pakistan, whether Pakistan accepts it or not

[QUOTE]
We do not need to be a superpower to stop other superpowers from dumping their products in our country. Neither do we need to donate the money that can be better utilized for betterment of the country.
[/QUOTE]

I am afraid we do. Behind all the niceties of diplomats, its a jungle out there. And the lioness must keep her claws sharpened to protect her cubs, and help the helpless (and even those not so helpless !) in need to gain more allies. Let us agree to disagree :)

[QUOTE]
With the amount of money that the country has (and spends on illogical and useless things) even a small fraction is utilized for the betterment of infrastructure in the agricultural sector (storage and distribution) our country would be a far better place.
[/QUOTE]

But it is being used to improve infrastructure. Only a very small fraction of it is being used for furthering foreign policy.But a large fraction of the development funds disappears because of inefficiency and corruption. The urgent need of the hour is administrative and bureaucratic reforms to prevent such losses rather than putting more money in leaking sieve. This is what nobody wants to do. It is much easier to throw money around and have a clear conscience than to make sure that it is utilized well.

[QUOTE]
Our PM needs to stop wasting time with his foreign policies and start taking care of the country.
[/QUOTE]

I agree with you that some of his f.p initiatives like this one are flawed. But let's not throw the baby with the bath water. Foreign Policy is important, especially in a rapidly globalizing world. One must also recognize the role of Parliament, Civil Society, Media, etc in highlighting the nation's problems. PM is only an individual and can't rule the nation like a monarch. He also needs to get correct inputs and constructive criticism from these sources.