Should India even bother to help the flood-hit people of Pakistan?

Despite the floods that have devastated Pakistan and rendered millions homeless, it took a lot of cajoling from the international community before Islamabad could bring itself to accept the $5 million (Rs23.5 crore) aid offered by India. It appeared as if India was almost begging Pakistan to accept the aid. Even then, the government of Pakistan said it would take the assistance only if it were routed through the United Nations, which is coordinating the flow of relief from around the world.

Pakistan's animosity towards India and its desire to see India bleed has never been a secret. For more than two decades now, the Pakistani establishment and sections of the Pakistani population have been doing their best to create trouble for and in India, to foment terrorism, to try and create communal divides in the country from which they were born 63 years ago as the result of one such divide.

WikiLeaks has already enlightened the world about the dubious links between Pakistan's notorious ISI and terrorists and extremists in Afghanistan who are fighting a multinational force mandated by the UN to establish the rule of law in the mountainous country. India, probably, will never gain closure in the Mumbai attack owing to the evasive "diplomacy" that Pakistan always brings to the table.

Despite all this, India has gone ahead and announced an additional aid of $20 million (Rs94 crore) for Pakistan. Does our neighbour deserve such consideration from India?