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Pakistani Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali said in Islamabad on Friday that Pakistan intends to provide assistance for the Iraqi people as soon as possible, according to the Associated Press of Pakistan.
"The people and Government of Pakistan are deeply concerned about the plight of the Iraqi people and the emerging humanitarian crisis in Iraq," Jamali said.
He said that the military action in Iraq has compounded the problems of the already suffering Iraqi people who have lived under sanctions for over a decade.
"While our prime objective is the restoration of peace in Iraq, Pakistan has also in all its bilateral contacts as well as in the discussions in the Security Council stressed on the need to address the humanitarian dimensions of the Iraqi situation."
He said the primary responsibility for addressing the immediate and long term needs of the Iraqi people rests with the parties involved in the military conflict.
The Prime Minister said that Pakistan has decided to offer humanitarian assistance for the Iraqi people.
"We are exploring all avenues for sending such humanitarian relief, including contacting all parties to the conflict."
(Xinhua News Agency March 28, 2003)
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