Scottish Government donates £500,000 to Pakistan flood victims

THE Scottish Government has contributed £500,000 to help the victims of the devastating Pakistan floods which have claimed around 1,500 lives.

External Affairs Minister Fiona Hyslop said it was Scotland's "moral duty" to help alleviate the suffering.

The money will be made available to Scottish aid agencies working in the country.

Ms Hyslop said: "The scale of destruction and human suffering caused by the flooding in Pakistan is truly appalling.

"It is our moral duty to do whatever is within our power to ease the suffering of the people whose lives have been devastated by this tragedy.

"In providing this assistance to Scottish organisations, Scotland is saying that it cares and that we stand ready to help in every way we can."

Ms Hyslop also said she wanted to see the 415,450 development funding, allocated earlier this year to five Pakistan projects, used where it is most urgently needed.

She urged the Scottish public to give generously.

"While there are long-standing and enduring links between Scotland and Pakistan, with a significant Scots-Pakistani community here in Scotland, the scale of this disaster is provoking a generous and compassionate response from all Scots," she said.

"I encourage the people of Scotland to continue to support the Disasters Emergency Committee appeal (DEC) which is allowing humanitarian organisations to work to ease the suffering of people affected by this disaster."

DEC Scottish chairman Gerry McLaughlin said: "Aid of the most basic kind – shelter, food, clean water, medical care and sanitation – is needed urgently."

DEC is the umbrella organisation for aid agencies including the British Red Cross, Cafod, Islamic Relief and Oxfam.