Responding to India’s offer of boosting its aid from $5 million to $25 million, Qureshi told newsmen that India and Pakistan have been extending assistance to each other in times of emergencies.

“There is nothing new in it. But the money should be routed through the UN-sponsored ‘Pakistan Initial Floods Emergency Response Plan,’” he said.

Asked if aid pledges from all the countries are being routed through UN, he avoided a direct reply by stressing the importance of the UN program.

Qureshi, who came to Saudi Arabia from Oman, is currently on Gulf tour. Earlier in the day, he met with Prince Muqrin, chief of General Intelligence, and handed over a letter of thanks to Prince Muqrin from President Asif Ali Zardari addressed to Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah. During the meeting he said he discussed in detail the situation born out of the devastating flood that has affected all the four provinces of Pakistan besides Azad Kashmir.

He said initially the world response to the miseries of the flood was slow, but now the whole world has been mobilized with world bodies like the UN and the OIC taking practical steps to provide assistance.

He said unlike the earthquake of 2005, which caused massive damage, the devastation caused by the flood was realized by the world a little late because floods do not have the dramatic effects of an earthquake.

He also touched upon the lack of trust in the Pakistan government in handling money sent for flood victims. Saying that 85 percent of assistance is being disbursed through UN agencies, Qureshi said the government is trying to be as transparent as possible.

“The public is free to send their aid to whomever they trust, be it an NGO, a volunteer organization or any other body.”

He denied any offer of support from Israel as reported in a section of Pakistani press. He also laughed off the charge that Ataabad area in the extreme north of the country has been handed over to China. He said flood waters have made that particular area inaccessible for Pakistan “so the government has sought Chinese help, which is normal.”

He said Pakistani public was deeply touched by the unprecedented support extended by Saudi Arabia. This has also disproved the perception in certain quarters that there was coldness in the relations between the two countries, he maintained.

Qureshi said the way Saudi Arabia took urgent measures to provide relief to flood victims has brought the two countries further closer.

Besides governmental support, Qureshi said the response of the general public worldwide is also commendable. In Germany, a telethon was organized attended by Chancellor Angela Merkel. A total of $54 million was generated. In Britain, general public committed millions of pounds. The Muslim world was equally enthusiastic. In Saudi Arabia a telethon was organized which was repeated by Kuwait and Abu Dhabi.