Pakistan Requests IMF Flood Help
The BBC reports that Pakistan is requesting assistance from the IMF to restructure their loan commitments in light of recent flooding:
Officials from Pakistan are holding talks with the International Monetary Fund to discuss its $11bn loan package in the wake of the devastating floods.
The IMF's regional director, Masood Ahmed, told the BBC the organisation wanted to find a way to help Pakistan "through this difficult phase".
This could include lowering some fiscal targets or allowing Pakistan to apply for emergency natural disaster funding.
Earlier, UN officials described the humanitarian situation as critical.
They said that although the UN had raised 70% of the $460m (£295m) needed for emergency relief, many people had yet to receive any help.
In the UK, relief agencies have said public donors have given £29m ($45m) to the relief effort. They also said the international response had been slow to build up, but that donations had increased in the second week.
Government officials and aid agencies in the southern province of Sindh said 80% of those affected had fled their homes.
The Indus river outside the city of Hyderabad is at its highest for more than 50 years and is expected to rise further on Tuesday.
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