WASHINGTON, D.C. – In response to the worst floods in Pakistan’s history, Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman John Kerry (D-MA) today issued the following statement:
"I offer my deepest sympathy to the victims of the deadly floods which have afflicted northwest Pakistan this week. Over 1,400 people have died and an estimated three million people have been affected so far according to U.N. estimates, most of them in areas that have suffered years of Taliban violence and decades of economic deprivation. I know many Pakistanis are frustrated by the slow pace of relief efforts, and I urge the Government of Pakistan and the international community to work swiftly and in concert to ensure that aid reaches those in need as quickly as possible. The United States continues to lead humanitarian donor efforts in Pakistan with $10 million recently pledged for flood victims, coming from Kerry-Lugar-Berman funds. In the past year, the United States has committed over $184 million in humanitarian assistance to Pakistan. This assistance reflects the deep U.S. commitment to the people of Pakistan.”
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