The Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan has said that his country is ready to provide any humanitarian assistance needed to those who have been affected by the floods in Kerala.
In a tweet, Khan said:
On behalf of the people of Pakistan, we send our prayers and best wishes to those who have been devastated by the floods in Kerala, India. We stand ready to provide any humanitarian assistance that may be needed.
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) 23 August 2018
However, the Government of India (GoI) has announced that it will not take aid from foreign countries willing to send help to Kerala, which has been grappling with devastation caused by massive floods.Speaking on the matter, the ministry for external affairs in the Modi government has said, “in line with the existing policy, the government is committed to meeting the requirements for relief and rehabilitation through domestic efforts.”
The GoI announcement came hours after Kerala Kerala chief minister Pinarayi had said that impediments regarding accepting the Rs 700Cr aid from UAE will be removed.
Qatar, Maldives and Thailand had also expressed a desire to assist the relief and rehabilitation efforts in Kerala.
Meanwhile, UAE on Saturday said that the amount of aid has yet not been decided.