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Rassegna della stampa internazionale sull’India 15 - 30 Agosto 2010 A cura di Giulio Carminati glcarminati@ Political and current affairs Pakistan: flood relief After The Deluge... The swell of militant groups engaged in flood relief has everyone jittery Amir Mir Sep 06, 2010 OUTLOOKINDIA When the mighty Indus swelled and spilled over its banks, gradually inundating nearly 20 per cent of Pakistan, teeming millions from decrepit towns and remote hamlets scampered away to safety. There were some, though, who were seen trekking in the opposite direction, wading into the watery graves to rescue those marooned. These civilians, often sporting lush, unkempt beards and dressed in pathan suits, were activists of militant organisations who had spontaneously come to the assistance of beleaguered people reeling under a crisis unprecedented in Pakistan’s history. Nor did their initial enthusiasm ebb in subsequent days—they remain in the forefront of non-government endeavour to provide hot meals, clothes and medicine to the affected, collecting funds to finance relief operations likely to last for months. They have been hailed in some quarters as saviours who rushed to assist the hapless at a time when government officials had scurried away. Yet, this samaritan act has stoked fears, here as well abroad, about the agenda underlying the flood relief work. Wouldn’t they exploit popular sympathy to widen their recruitment base? Even President Asif Ali Zardari said recently, “We are giving them (victims) everything we’ve got. But there is a possibility that some negative forces will exploit this situation. For example, extremist militants can take orphaned babies and put them in their terrorist training camps.” In its Augus