NEW YORK, Aug 19 Pakistan said on Thursday it could revise its budget for the fiscal year to meet the requirements of the flood-stricken people.

Speaking to a cross-section of American people, experts and journalists at Asia Society, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said the best way to counter the Taliban attempts to take advantage of the situation was to help the afflicted people, rebuild their destroyed hearths and homes and eventually restore the health and educational facilities.

Mr Qureshi, who is in New York primarily to attend a special UN General Assembly Session on Pakistan, said “One-fifth of Pakistan has been inundated”.

He described in detail the terrible loss of life and property and damage to crops wrought by the deadly floods, causing huge economic losses.

“We'll do everything possible, even re-visit our budget and change the country's priorities in order to protect our distressed people,” he added.

The United Nations complained on Wednesday that international aid had been slow to arrive, even as the humanitarian disaster worsened.

But on Thursday a UN spokesman said that contributions and donations had increased considerably and expressed the hope that the world community would keep up the money coming in to meet the challenge of what UN Secretary General Bank Ki-moon warned was a “slow tsunami”.

“We simply cannot stand by and let this natural disaster turn into a man-made catastrophe. Let us stand with the people of Pakistan every step of the long and difficult road ahead,” he said.

The UN estimates that 15 to 20 million people have been affected and that an area the size of Italy is under water.

It has called for $460 million to help sustain six million people on $1 per day for the next three months. Officials worry that monsoon rains will continue and flooding will intensify. They also warn of a second wave of deaths from disease.

Richard Holbrooke, the special US envoy for Pakistan and Afghanistan who was moderating the proceedings at Asia Society said US was doing its utmost to help Pakistan, a critical American ally.

“We want to be first with the most assistance,” he told the audience jampacking the hall. He urged American private sector to also join government efforts and a prominent businessman George Soros announced a contribution of $5 million through his humanitarian organisation.

Foreign Minister Qureshi thanked the US government and people for their support. “Thank you, American,” he said. “You have shown that you are a caring nation.”

USAID Administrator Rajiv Shah gave an account of the US support to Pakistan, saying his country's contribution would transition into recovery efforts.

Mr Shah will soon visit Pakistan to make an on-the-spot assessment.

The meeting was also addressed by representatives of the Pakistani community here who are raising funds to support their compatriots back home.

In his speech, Mr Qureshi also said the people of Pakistan had been mobilised to take part in relief work. The civil society has now joined in a big way, with young men fanning out in affected areas.