The Scottish Government has pledged a further £300,000 to assist the relief effort in Pakistan following recent flooding.

 

The extra funding brings the total pledged by the Scottish Government to over £1.2m - £807,000 towards emergency funding and a further £400,000 on development funds.

 

Last month Scottish Ministers promised an initial sum of over £900,000.

 

Announcing the increase at Blackhall Mosque in Edinburgh, First Minister Alex Salmond explained the funds would be distributed among 15 Scottish organisations operating in Pakistan: Islamic Relief, Concern Worldwide, Christian Aid, Save the Children, University of Glasgow, UCare Foundation, SCIAF, MercyCorps, Oxfam, CBM, British Red Cross, Sightsavers, Healing Wounds, Islamic Centre Glasgow and Edinburgh Direct Aid.

 

“The severity of the crisis is immense and ongoing and this is reflected by our decision to allocate £300,000 of extra funding to support the Scottish organisations that are working tirelessly save lives and rebuild communities,” he said.

 

"It is crucial that people across Scotland continue to give generously and support the aid agencies. The scale of suffering in Pakistan is incredible and so far people in Scotland have donated, with typical generosity, more than £3.9m to the Disasters Emergency Committee appeal.”

 

Habib Malik, head of Islamic Relief Scotland, whose projects help 3,850 individuals through the provision of basic food, cooking sets, jerry cans, soap, mosquito nets and plastic sheets, praised the decision.

 

"On behalf of Islamic Relief, I would like to thank the Scottish Government for this amazing gift to the flood-afflicted people of Pakistan. Scotland has once again proven that it cares, and has demonstrated its commitment to improving the world by making available this money. Much has been done and yet there is so much more still to do, but this money will help to bring hope to shattered dreams."