President returns to flood-ravaged Pakistan amid anger at Europe trip

Published on Tuesday 10 August 2010 15:52

President Asif Ali Zardari returned to flood-ravaged Pakistan yesterday, where he faced a storm of criticism for visiting Europe as his country was gripped by what his government called the nation's worst natural disaster.

• Picture: Getty Images

His arrival came as thousands fled a major city in central Pakistan threatened by swollen rivers, and the United Nations said the nationwide aid response needed to be scaled up "massively".

The Pakistani Taleban, which is fighting for the overthrow of the Pakistani state, urged the government not to accept any Western aid. Spokesman Azam Tariq said the group would itself fund relief efforts.

The Taleban has attacked Western aid groups in Pakistan and called for them to leave the country, saying they are trying to implement a Western agenda. "Pakistan should reject this aid to maintain sovereignty and independence," Tariq said.

The UN, relying on Pakistani figures, has said the number of people affected by flooding over the past two weeks is 13.8 million.

Amid the relentless rains, Mr Zardari, an unpopular figure to begin with, left for a visit to France and Britain. The timing of trip struck a raw nerve among many who said Mr Zardari should have stayed with his suffering people - even though the president, fearful of assassination, rarely makes public appearances in Pakistan. The criticism was particularly harsh after reports he visited his family's elegant chateau in France.

Mr Zardari returned first to the southern city of Karachi and was expected back in the capital, Islamabad, today. He is set to meet with the chief ministers of the provinces to map out a rehabilitation programme, said Fauzia Wahab, spokeswoman for the ruling Pakistan People's Party.

In Punjab province, the normally bustling city of Muzaffargarh was largely deserted yesterday after large numbers of people left following flood warnings the previous evening. Many men, however, stayed to guard homes and businesses.

"Our city is almost empty now," said Mohammed Saleem, 42, a shop owner who sent his wife and children to Multan city.

The local government hospital had staffing shortages because many doctors and other workers had decided to leave.

"We have put sandbags around our hospital to protect it from any possible floodwaters, but we do not know whether it will help," said Ashiq Malik, a hospital official.

The population of Muzaffargarh is around 250,000, a senior government official in Dera Ghazi Khan district said. The evacuation warning was issued after authorities assessed the floods could hit the city.

Pakistani prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has called the crisis the worst natural disaster in Pakistan's history.

The UN estimates immediate relief will require hundreds of millions of dollars, while longer-term reconstruction and rehabilitation will cost billions. It is still working on estimating what is needed from the international community, and says more than $100 million has been pledged already.

UN officials said they would like to see more. "Yes, we need to have more, and yes, the tempo needs to increase," said Martin Mogwanja, a top UN humanitarian official in Islamabad. He added that the response "needs to be scaled up, massively".

The hardest-hit region has been the north-west, which also is the focus of Pakistan's fight against al-Qaida and the Taleban. But as swollen rivers have flown south and east, Sindh and Punjab provinces have also been affected.

Rescue work has been hampered by ongoing monsoon rains, which have washed away roads and bridges.