Saudi Arabia Contributes More Than $170 Million for Pakistan Flood Relief

[Turborama]

Source: PRNewswire-USNewswire

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, including the government, citizens and corporations, have donated more than $170 million to the people affected by the flooding in Pakistan. This includes $70 million in humanitarian aid, such as water, food, blankets and medical supplies being transported by the air bridge established at the directive of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz.

King Abdullah has also ordered the creation of two field hospitals for Pakistani flood victims. Each hospital will be equipped with 200 beds, a pharmacy, an intensive care unit, an x-ray room and an operating room. The order for the Saudi field hospitals follows reports that diseases are breaking out and that people in the affected areas are suffering from a number of water-borne illnesses.

In addition to providing needed medical supplies and clinics, King Abdullah issued a directive sending rescue teams from the Saudi Civil Defense and Border Guards to Pakistan to participate in rescue operations. The first rescue team left the Kingdom today and the second team is leaving tomorrow.

Saudi Arabia also directed the disbursement of the $100 million, which was previously allocated by the Kingdom to the United Nations for emergency and humanitarian assistance, for those affected by natural disasters in Pakistan.

Read more: http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/saudi-arabia-contributes-more-than-170-million-for-pakistan-flood-relief-101333599.html

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Saudi Ambassador calls on Sindh Governor

KARACHI, Aug 24 (APP): The Saudi Arabian Ambassador to Pakistan, Abdul Aziz Al-Ghdeer, called on the Sindh Governor, Dr. Ishrat ul Ebad Khan, on Tuesday.At the meeting held at the Governor House here, Dr. Ishrat apprised the Envoy of the destruction caused by the widespread flood in the country.He said that the rescue activities are going on the flood affected areas.The Governor said that it is the endeavour of the government that the rescue work be undertaken in a coordinated manner while taking all the stakeholders onboard.

The Envoy informed the Governor that a 130-strong rescue and relief team from Saudi Arab has arrived in Karachi along with heavy machinery, boats and other equipment. He said that 77 tons of relief goods has also reached Karachi from Saudi Arabia.

The Envoy said that during a public campaign launched by Saudi King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz a sum of 160 million dollars has been raised for the flood affectees of Pakistan. Saudi Government’s assistance is in addition to this amount and that it would be increased further.

The Governor thanked the Saudi Government as well as the Saudi Ambassador for assistance in the hour of need. He also lauded the efforts of the Ambassador of Saudi Arabia in Pakistan for this very purpose.

From: http://www.app.com.pk/en_/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=114402&Itemid=2

[Jeneral2885]

1. this will

This will shut up the "the arab world should contribute" group.

[Rebubula]

2. Perhaps...

...but it is a valid point.

Saudi Arabia has more money than allah and SHOULD be ponying up more than anyone else.

[sabrina 1]

11. The Arab world has been contributing from the beginning.

I posted a link more than a week ago listing the contributions made by even poor Arab nations. The natural knee-jerk rightwing reaction that 'The Arab World' is doing nothing caused me to do some research as I am now so familiar with rightwing talking points and propaganda I automatically check out everything that appears to be the usual propaganda.

No one has done enough though. Including many Western nations. So this is a good beginning from the Saudis and hopefully will stimulate others to contribute more especially in the area of medical assistance the need for which will only increase as time goes by.

[Vinnie From Indy]

3. Hardly!

I would imagine that 170 million for the Saudis is pocket change. It is the price of a few royals not spending a weekend in Vegas or some other sin capitol.

[Posteritatis]

5. Nah, it'll move the goalposts. (nt)

[Kolesar]

6. Yeah. About one five-hundred-thousandth of their oil wealth

It shut me up for about as long as it took me to read the headline.

The guys who gave us Osama and Fox News

floggings and beheadings

[The Stranger]

9. Hatemongers don't shut up.

They just keep droning on until someone confronts them.

[Turborama]

10. Here's an example of an Arab country stepping up to the plate early on...

Notice which country had provided the most per capita. This was on 08/10/2010
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=4498952&mesg_id=4499196

Yep, Kuwait was by far the largest per capita donor early on.

[OhioChick]

4. Good to hear.

:thumbsup:

[Name removed]

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[Name removed]

8. Deleted message

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[sabrina 1]

12. The best way to counter extremism is to win over the

majority of the people and most of all, provide more assistance to the victims of this disaster than the Extremist groups have been doing.

Most of the over 150 million Pakistani citizens are not terrorists. But Extremist groups can win their trust by doing what they have been doing since this disaster began, provide assistance which makes them seem like the only people who care, which at first other than the Pakistani military and the Aid Groups like DWB, they were.

They know the value of good PR. We otoh, chose thanks to the Bush administration, to use bombs and torture rather than schools and hospitals and only served to prove the extremists right, that the U.S. is the enemy.

Now, I am glad to see that this administration is working more towards providing assistance and it seems to be working in some critical areas of the country where the people have been reported to be changing their minds about the U.S.