New Delhi: A day after India declined two offers of foreign aid, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan offered humanitarian assistance towards relief for victims of the floods in Kerala, if required.
Kerala had been lashed by heavy rains for the past few weeks, causing the worst floods in a century. Thousands have been rendered homeless and over 370 people have died.
On Thursday night, Khan posted on his official Twitter account:
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) August 23, 2018
India already made it clear on Wednesday that it would not be accepting any assistance from any other country. “In line with the existing policy, the government is committed to meeting the requirements for relief and rehabilitation through domestic efforts,” said MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar, politely declining offers of humanitarian aid from Maldives and UAE.
Offers of assistance during times of disaster are not a novelty in the India-Pakistan relationship, even during periods of strain.
During the 2001 earthquake in Bhuj, Pakistan had dispatched three planes filled with 600 tents and 7,500 blankets.
Four years later, Kashmir – on both the Indian and Pakistan side – was hit by a major earthquake which left nearly 90,000 dead. The official death figure in Pakistan alone was over 87,000.
Rescue workers gather at the site of a building collapse in Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistan administered Kashmir on October 9, 20105. Credit: Reuters/Khursheed
Immediately, India announced that it did any require any foreign aid to ameliorate the victims of the earthquake in Kashmir.
However, faced with a devastating toll, Pakistan issued a worldwide appeal – and India responded. By November 2005, India had sent 1,300 tonnes of relief supplies, which were delivered by air, road and rail. Five crossing points on the Line of Control were opened for sending across relief material.
Further, India also committed $25 million for long-term rehabilitation and reconstruction in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir at a donor’s conference.
Pakistan’s acceptance of Indian relief aid was not just a reflection of the severity of the disaster, but also due to the relative warmth in the relationship. In April 2005, Pakistan president Pervez Musharraf visited India to view a cricket match. There were more meetings between the top leadership in September and October, even as the comprehensive dialogue process went chugging along behind the scenes.
The 2008 Mumbai attacks paused the blossoming of ties, with India suspending the dialogue process.
The Taj Mahal hotel in Mumbai burns during the 26/11 terrorist attack, 2008 Credit: YouTube video grab
It was only after two years that Indian and Pakistan prime ministers decided to restart the dialogue after their meeting in Thimphu in April 2010. However, a scheduled visit by Indian external affairs minister S.M. Krishna to Islamabad ended on a sour note, after the then Pakistan foreign minister Shah Memhood Qureshi compared the Indian home secretary to Hafiz Saeed.
Less than a month later, Krishna called Qureshi to offer aid of $5 million for the country’s worst ever floods. Pakistan welcomed the offer, with a senior Pakistan diplomat stating that disaster transcended any differences between the two countries.
The destructive floods in Kashmir was the background for Narendra Modi’s first foray into aid diplomacy with Pakistan. During the September 2014 floods, Modi wrote to Nawaz Sharif offering assistance in relief work. “Our resources are at your disposal wherever you need them,” he said in his letter to the Pakistan prime minister. Sharif replied with a reciprocal offer of help – “…we remain prepared to extend a helping hand, in whatever way possible, to the efforts for their relief and rehabilitation”.
The last time that the Indian prime minister extended assistance was when a major earthquake of 7.5 magnitude rocked Pakistan and Afghanistan. “I have asked for an urgent assessment and we stand ready for assistance where required, including Afghanistan & Pakistan,” Modi tweeted on October 2015.
Imran Khan’s offer for help occurs after a series of exchange of pleasantries over the election of the new government, with both sides talking of “constructive engagement”. However, violence in Kashmir continues unabated, with Eid festivities marred by the killing of three policeman and a BJP worker by suspected militants.