Humanitarian crisis worsens in Swat

20/05/2009| IslamWeb

Two million people have been displaced in northwest Pakistan and fears are raised more could be fleeing after the president said the offensive against the Taliban would be expanded to include Waziristan.

The government has set up camps, but a vast majority of the displaced are staying with relatives or in private accommodation.

Asif Ali Zardari, the president, was scheduled to convene a high-level meeting of government and UN officials on Wednesday on relief and rehabilitation efforts.

Yousuf Raza Gilani, the prime minister, said Pakistan was fighting the Taliban on two fronts - militarily in the mountains and in trying to cope with the humanitarian crisis.

For her part, Hillary Clinton, the US secretary of state, pledged $110m in aid on Tuesday to Pakistan as part of Washington's new strategy for helping Islamabad counter the Taliban.

John Holmes, the UN humanitarian chief, has said only about 20 per cent of displaced civilians are inside about 24 refugee camps at the moment.

Pakistan's military has said up to 15,000 troops are fighting 4,000 well-armed Taliban in Swat.

PHOTO CAPTION

Internally displaced men, fleeing a military offensive in the Swat valley region, carry their belongings through Jalozai camp during a dust storm, about 140 km (87 miles) north west of Pakistan's capital Islamabad May 19, 2009.

Agencies