Pakistan appeals for flood aid ahead of donors conference

By MUNIR AHMED
Associated Press

ISLAMABAD (AP) — Pakistan’s foreign minister has issued an emotional appeal ahead of a major conference next week, urging the international community to generously donate funds for the country’s flood victims. The gathering in Geneva — which will be jointly hosted by the United Nations and Pakistan — aims to raise funds for the victims of last summer’s unprecedented flooding, which experts partly attribute to climate change. The disaster killed 1,739 people and affected 33 million Pakistanis. At one point, a third of the country’s territory was under water. Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said on Tuesday that his goal was for the world not to forget the flood victims.