Stranded flood affected people rush to board a US forces Chinook helicopter, in Kalam in Pakistan's Swat Valley.—AP photo

ISLAMABAD: The US military has ended its relief mission helping victims of this summer's floods in Pakistan.

American choppers flew in from Afghanistan once the scale of the disaster became apparent in early August.

They have flown hundreds of missions in the northwest and in Punjab, dropping off food and relief supplies and rescuing stranded people.

Pakistani and American officials Thursday staged a ceremony at an aviation base to mark the end of the mission.

At their peak, the floods affected 20 million people across the country.

The American mission was an opportunity for Washington to show that it cared for ordinary Pakistanis.

US officials have expressed hope it may have reduced —if only a little —widespread anti-US sentiment in the militancy-wracked country.

Opinion

Editorial

When medicine fails
Updated 18 Nov, 2024

When medicine fails

Between now and 2050, medical experts expect antibiotic resistance to kill 40m people worldwide.
Nawaz on India
Updated 18 Nov, 2024

Nawaz on India

Nawaz Sharif’s hopes of better ties with India can only be realised when New Delhi responds to Pakistan positively.
State of abuse
18 Nov, 2024

State of abuse

The state must accept that crimes against children have become endemic in the country.
Football elections
17 Nov, 2024

Football elections

PAKISTAN football enters the most crucial juncture of its ‘normalisation’ era next week, when an Extraordinary...
IMF’s concern
17 Nov, 2024

IMF’s concern

ON Friday, the IMF team wrapped up its weeklong unscheduled talks on the Fund’s ongoing $7bn programme with the...
‘Un-Islamic’ VPNs
Updated 17 Nov, 2024

‘Un-Islamic’ VPNs

If curbing pornography is really the country’s foremost concern while it stumbles from one crisis to the next, there must be better ways to do so.