The response to UN appeal for rescue and relief operation in flood-affected areas of Pakistan rose dramatically to over 800 million dollars by Friday and more pledges were expected to come in, according to Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi.

Over the last two days of the UN General Assembly’s special session on Pakistan, the funding in response to a UN appeal for $460 million doubled.

The foreign minister, who had come to New York to attend the special United Nations General Assembly session on Pakistan’s floods, noted that the ‘tremendous response’ to the appeal was led by the United States, which had doubled its contribution.

A humanitarian disaster of this size anywhere else would have had, in my judgment, a much quicker, a much more generous, a much more instinctive response

Tim Costello, chief of World Vision Australia was quoted by the media as having said.

Governments are giving donations because of the geopolitical considerations, some multinationals are also donating after being encouraged by different capitals, but Pakistan clearly lacks public sympathy, which is crucial for generating funds.

a Western diplomat commented.

The residents of Canada can donate $5 by sending text messaged “redcross” to 30333 from their cell phone and then responding to a confirmation message. The service is available to wireless customers of Bell and Solo, Rogers and Fido, Telus and Koodo, and Virgin Mobile and the donation amount of $5 will appear on the statement. You can send multiple text messages to donate more.