There is a heart rending story today in the Washington Post by Ahmed Rashid, a Pakistani journalist of impeccable credentials. It is worth its weight in gold. Please do read it and do what you can to help the internally displaced persons of Pakistan. It is in all our interest to do so.
I am using all the sources available to me to try and get Indians also to offer to send help immediately. Quite whether the Pakistani establishment will accept the offer is not the point. As neighbors and particularly people affected by some of the elements that the Pakistani army is fighting in Swat Valley, we must do everything possible to support that effort. This is an opportunity not to be wasted, to build bridges that will serve India’s long term purposes better than anything else that we have done so far.
I am disappointed that Europe has not responded but at the same time not surprised that the other Muslim nations have not responded either. There is a message there for the ordinary Pakistani, which I hope he receives.