Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday expressed his grief over the devastating Kerala floods and offered humanitarian assistance to India.
"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," he tweeted.
Incessant rains have claimed over 230 lives in Kerala since August 8.
Khan's statement came amid the row over India's decision to not accept funds from foreign governments for flood-hit Kerala.
India is conveying to various foreign governments pledging financial assistance to Kerala that it will not accept the help, official sources told PTI.
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A number of countries including the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Qatar and Maldives have announced assistance for flood relief operations in Kerala.
The sources said that while declining to accept the assistance, India is conveying its sincere appreciation to the foreign nations for their offers to help flood affected people in Kerala.
While the UAE has offered $100 million (around Rs 700 crore) as financial assistance to Kerala, Qatar has pledged around Rs 35 crore and Maldives has announced a donation of $50,000 (Rs 35 lakh).
The Kerala government is understood to be unhappy over the Centre's decision not to accept donations from foreign governments for flood relief operations in the state.
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In refusing foreign aid, the Centre has followed a 14-year convention it "inherited" from previous governments of not accepting such assistance in the face of natural calamities, Union minister KJ Alphons said on Thursday.
Alphons said this was a policy that was followed by the current government since former prime minister Manmohan Singh had refused aid from foreign countries in 2004 during the devastating Tsunami.
Khan's latest statement came a couple of days after he thanked Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu for attending his oath-taking ceremony.
Terming the Punjab cabinet minister "an ambassador of peace", Khan on Tuesday said, Sidhu was given amazing love and affection by people of Pakistan during his visit.
"I want to thank Sidhu for coming to Pakistan for my oath taking. He was an ambassador of peace and was given amazing love & affection by ppl of Pakistan. Those in India who targeted him are doing a gt disservice to peace in the subcontinent - without peace, our ppl cannot progress," tweeted Khan.
Sidhu visited Pakistan on August 18 after Khan's party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) invited him to attend the swearing-in ceremony of the 22nd Prime Minister of the country.
(With agency inputs)
