Azerbaijan, Baku, May 14 / Trend , E.Ostapenko/
The European Commission is launching an emergency humanitarian aid decision for €5.5 million to help vulnerable civilians affected by the fighting in Pakistan, the European Union's (EU) released said on May 14.
"The European Commission will release € 5.5 million to respond to most pressing needs and is ready to step up its assistance if necessary," European Commissioners on development and humanitarian aid Louis Michel said.
Michel who is responsible for the project to allocate financial aid expressed his anxiety on the Pakistani people's miserable state.
"As a result of the intensified fighting in Swat and other parts of the country, Pakistan is facing not only a security threat but also a humanitarian threat," Michel said. "Hundreds of thousands of civilians are fleeing the combat zones and they need urgent assistance."
Over half a million people are known to have been displaced from the Swat Valley and other trouble spots since the beginning of the year, and there are fears that the numbers could increase substantially in the coming day, the press release said.
Pakistani authorities are doing their utmost but their relief capacities are now overstretched, Michel said.
The Commission's support is provided strictly in accordance with the principles of neutrality and impartiality and is mainly directed towards protecting people and responding to basic humanitarian needs such as shelter, food, domestic items (e.g. clothes and cooking equipment) and medical support. In some places, it will also help to provide clean drinking water and sanitation, the press release said.
All funds are channelled through the Commission's Humanitarian Aid department. Projects are implemented by non-governmental relief organisations, specialised UN agencies and the Red Cross/Red Crescent movement.
On May 7, the Pakistani government decided to launch military actions against the Taliban in the Swat valley. It happened after the extremists took the neighboring areas of the Swat region, despite Islamabad's agreement to support sharia law in the region. Military actions are still lasting in Swat.
According to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), more than half million people fled the valley of Swat, where the Pakistani troops attack militants' positions.
The Taliban movement is struggling to form the Islamic state in Pakistan and withdraw foreign troops from Afghanistan which are in this country since 2001.
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