Foreign troops pose no danger to security: Kasuri
Confirms 86,000 casualties in Oct 8 earthquake
From Zeeshan Mirza

KARACHI—Foreign Minister Khurshid Mehmud Kasuri Wednesday dismissed the fears of some opposition leaders about the presence of US and NATO forces in quake hit areas and said foreign troops did not pose any danger to Pakistan’s security.
Addressing a press conference here he made it clear that Pakistan was very strong, adding that the arrival of a few hundred doctors and engineers would pose no danger to the country and instead this would help in relief efforts.
To another question, he stated that NATO is not a relief organisation. It had gone for the relief work first time in the wake of Katrina in the United States. It came for the relief work for the first time in a non-Nato country in the aftermath of October 8 earthquake and this speaks of the importance of Pakistan. The appeal was from the United Nations. The road-clearance equipment brought here by the US and NATO was not available in Pakistan. The heavy machinery which is coming will also benefit Pakistan.
He pointed out that according to the latest estimates more than 86,000 people have lost their lives, over 100,000 have been injured and nearly 3.3 million have become homeless. “These grim statistics are likely to keep rising”, the Foreign Minister remarked adding that this is the biggest natural calamity the world has witnessed in recent times.
He said that according to the United Nations the scale of devastation and destruction caused by the earthquake exceeds that last December’s Tsunami.
Kasuri expressed gratitude for the support, cooperation and assistance provided by the friendly countries, the United Nations and relief agencies.
He said that to meet these challenges, Pakistan looks up to the international community to extend generous support for the implementation of the programmes to mitigate the impact of this tragedy.
Therefore, the Foreign Minister went on, the Government of Pakistan has decided to convene an international conference in Islamabad on November 19.
He said that at the conference we will share damage assessment and present details and timetable for recovery and reconstruction. Kasuri stated that we look forward to a strong commitment for financial assistance that will match the unprecedented scale of tragedy. He pointed out that Pakistan is grateful to the international community for the timely help it gave. There were 52 countries which extended help and medical teams from 32 countries consisting of hundreds of doctors and field hospitals. Foreign Minister pointed out that the scale of devastation is such that according to the United Nations no single country can cope with it in a reasonable period of time all by itself.
“It is with this in mind that we feel that although the world has been very helpful to Pakistan, it needs to be more cooperative at the conference in Islamabad, which has been called by the President on November 19”, he added. He expressed the confidence that at this very moot the requirement of Pakistan would be met. Replying a question about the response of the international community to extend assistance to Pakistan in the wake of the October 8 devastating earthquake, Kasuri said that he was thankful for the prompt help from the comity of nation. He also referred to a joint resolution adopted unanimously by the treasury benches as well as the opposition in Pakistan’s National Assembly in which international community was thanked for its assistance in the wake of the earthquake.
Foreign Minister said that there have been commitments to Pakistan of more than two billion dollar. Kasuri dismissed the thinking on the part of some quarters that it posed any danger to the security and made it clear that Pakistan is a very strong country.