Clegg in Pakistan: Recovery will take 'years and years'
Wednesday, 1 September 2010 12:00 AM
by Peter Wozniak
Nick Clegg has visited flood-hit Pakistan, lamenting the slow global response to the crisis and predicting a long road ahead for the country's recovery.
Describing the scale of the disaster on seeing the devastation in the south of the country, the deputy prime minister said: "I think the sheer scale of this, it is really quite difficult to comprehend.
"We have to make a huge effort to provide important emergency aid, but really stick with this for the long term."
Pakistan has suffered enormous damage as a result of the recent floods, which have left millions of people affected and many now living in makeshift refugee camps, and much of the country's infrastructure and agricultural land ruined.
Though the flood waters are receding, the dangers from contamination of the water supply and lack of provision for the affected population remain high.
"It's going to take years and years for normality to come back to Pakistan," Mr Clegg said.
He warned that the crippling effect of the floods on the government of Pakistan might lead to extremist groups taking advantage of the situation, by seeking to "provide aid to try to curry favour".
The deputy prime minister, on a tour of the region following his visit to Afghanistan earlier in the week, lauded Britain's efforts in raising £33 million to assist in the relief effort, but argued that the response worldwide was too slow.
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