KARACHI, Feb 22: Chief of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement Altaf Hussain has appealed to Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for donating sugar to Pakistan on an urgent basis for tiding over its current difficulties.

In a letter, addressed to Dr Singh and released by the MQM’s international Secretariat in London, Mr Hussain said that such a gesture would be yet another opportunity for the Indian government to add substantially to the initiatives already taken by New Delhi towards confidence-building between the peoples of India and Pakistan.

Mr Hussain drew his attention to the crisis the people of Pakistan were currently facing owing to a shortage of sugar, and informed him that climatic reasons had adversely affected the sugarcane crop resulting in major shortfalls in sugar production.

India, he noted, had been helping the country in overcoming sugar crises in the past and alleviating the suffering of the common man on this account. “India was generous and magnanimous in coming to the aid of common citizens of Pakistan hit hard by soaring sugar prices,” he said, adding that a similar situation had, unfortunately, once again hit the people of Pakistan.

“I’m deeply conscious of the fact that your government has been generous in extending support to the victims of last October’s massive earthquake in Kashmir and the northern areas of Pakistan. I’m also mindful of the needs and requirements of the people of India that your government must attend to as a priority,” said Mr Hussain.

Mr Hussain hoped that the Indian prime minister would have the courage and strength to direct the multi-faceted affairs of India and attend to the myriad problems and challenges of the people of his country, in particular the poor and needy amongst them.