Do you remember the aftermath of the 2004 tsunami in South-East Asia? How it seemed so many people, across such a wide area, had been affected; the widespread devastation; the millions seeking help?
Well, far more people have been affected by the floods in Pakistan than were by the tsunami. Indeed, throw in the 2005 Kashmir earthquake and the 2010 Haiti quake and you're still not near the figure - a total of 14 million in need of humanitarian assistance, according to Maurizio Giuliano, a spokesman for the UN Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
To put that into context, that is the entire population of a country like Ecuador or Mali, or a megacity like Delhi or Lagos.
Of course, only a tiny fraction of the number of people killed in the tsunami have perished in the floods. Casualties are estimated at 1,600 - around 0.003 percent of the numbers killed in the other disasters.
But does it perhaps seem a bizarre contradiction that more money is raised when more are dead. By definition - and not wishing to seem crass - the dead are beyond help; it is the survivors who need the aid.
The money pledged so far to help survivors in Pakistan is $95,604,766, - although two thirds of that is in the form of "unconfimed pledges" that, if history is any guide, are likely to go unfulfilled.
That equates to $6.82 per survivor. In contrast, after the tsuanmi, $3,348,000,000 was committed for five million survivors - which works out at $669.60 for each of them.
Pakistan is known to be desperate for outside help - the New York Times reports that members of the country's government appear "overwhelmed and daunted by the magnitude of the devastation."
Hina Rabbani Khar, the state minister for economic affairs, broke into tears as she described the plight of her constituency in the Muzaffargarh district of southwestern Punjab to Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani during a meeting that was broadcast live on state-run television. "We were not prepared for this kind of a disaster," Ms Khar said, her voice quivering and tears running down her face. There are now concerns that because of the lukewarm international response, organisations with links to terror groups - including the Taliban - are stepping in to fill the gap.
The UN secretary-general, Ban Ki-Moon, has had to issue an appeal for "several hundred million dollars" at a news conference.
Meanwhile the focus has fallen on the leadership - or, some argue, absence of same - of the country's president, Asif Ali Zardari.
Zardari has only now arrived back in the country following a tour of Europe that shoes being thrown at him in Birmingham - a tour that prompted much criticism at home.
Here's Ayaz Amir, a Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leader :
"Even when governments can't cope, they can at least show empathy. That was missing. Who was the first person on the scene? The army chief. This has really cost [Zardari] heavily... The image of President Zardari visiting his chateau in France, while there was devastating flooding in Pakistan: this will have long-term effects."
And here's Zaman Malik, a retired civil servant in Islamabad:
"I was part of the earthquake effort. We had so much more confidence. Today, this is a major disaster but who is in the driving seat?" Others, however, have defended the president - such as blogger Cafe Pyala:
Were he not the president, would the suffering of the affectees of the biggest floods in Pakistan's history be any less? Would the administration become super-efficient? Isn't the issue of the inherent lack of capacity of the Pakistani state to deal with such crises a bigger issue than Zardari and his jaunts? Criticise him by all means but is a man chucking a couple of shoes in his direction really a bigger story than the tens of millions displaced from their homes? Or have we become so blinded by our rage and the cult of personality that we are willing to jettison all sense of proportion? Meanwhile, after the initial coverage as the worst of the monsoon struck 10 days ago, the story has somewhat fallen away from the news agenda.
On Monday, for example, the news was dominated by a dispute - in admittedly a very important case - between a 1990s supermodel and an actress best known for a 1960s horror film.
So why has Pakistan dropped down the agenda? Do you wish more was being done? Or do you think there is simply too much to cope with at the moment? Are you embarrassed by the actions of the President, or is there nothing more he can do? Do you worry about groups linked to terror taking over the administration of aid?
Vicki Halliday That the highlight of the Charles Taylor war crimes tribunal is a bitch fight between testimonies of Campell, Mia Farrow and an agent seems trivial beyond belief.
Comment sent via Facebook
18:32
113631290
Hyder Pirwany Hardly anyone knew about this trial until Naomi Campbell came to give the evidence and 大象传媒 News Channel decided to start broadcasting the trial "live." Now it is front page news in all the newspapers ahead of Pakistan floods.
Comment sent via host
18:31
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On air now: Is the trial of Charles Taylor being trivialised and why are we so facinated with Naomi Campbell?
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18:20
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Usman Aslam I am a Pakistani by origin and even I spent days worrying how to help. The obvious thing was to send money to Pakistan High Commission, but I don't trust the corrupt lot of them. Anybody who is part of the Government (with the exception of ...army) is on my blacklist and will not see a penny of my money. I advise the same to any of you kind hearted people who might wish to donate.
I have finally selected Islamic Relief which is a UK registered charity and is NOT confined to helping only Muslims or Islamic countries in the hour of need.
Anybody wishing to help could either give to Islamic Relief or Edhi Foundation. Edhi foundation is the largest charitable organisation in Pakistan and owns and runs country's only reliable Ambulance network.
Comment sent via Facebook
18:19
113631290
Tom Koller I think it is very simple. Money is short, and the nation has been more hostile to others than helpful. The other events you have named all involved countries that were not aggressive. You reap what you sow.
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18:19
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Alasan Bah its a lesson for pakistan, they should rethink their surpport for nato/usa in their strugle in Afganistan.
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18:19
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Enos Mutwana I think every country has a disaster of its own so running 2 help pakistan is illogical
Comment sent via Facebook
18:18
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Muyunda Yuyu Chansa this crisis in Pakistan does not compare with the other crises mentioned in the topic above because of the death tolls in the above disasters.the 2004 tsunami is on yhe top ten worst natural disators in a thousand years....
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18:18
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Albert Gomperts Because Pakistan has had a pretty unfavourable press the last years.
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18:18
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Msekwa SeksyBling Mwiinga Michael lets face facts,had there been oil or something of value to the USA in Pakistan they would be there in a flash.
Comment sent via Facebook
18:17
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Adnan Magsi Because Most western Nations does like Pakistan any way so why it matters any ways if its earth Quake or floods. Corrupt Politicians are main problem of Pakistan and They want Money for themselves but on name of Pakistan,s Problems. Poor people in country does not get any thing, What they make out of their whole life earnings is taken away with natural disaster what left will be sucked by those thirsty vampire Politician. We don't want to be a big Story but we want to be Big but good part of Story. God Bless Pakistan
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18:10
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Mandie Rainwater
I've seen reports on the news, but no outcry for donations. I want to help, but no aid organization has said they are going to help.
Comment sent via Facebook
18:09
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Sarah Elizabeth Canido I dare to say there might not be to much sympathy left for the middle east... i say that beacause i think if that happened else where it would be a bigger story. :o(
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18:07
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John Cleveland
Who cares about the floods in Pakistan? The people don't like us. They aid and abed Osama Bin Laden. Who cares? Let them figure this out for themselves and get aid from rich Saudi Arabia or some other Muslim nation.
Comment sent via Facebook
18:01
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Muyunda Yuyu Chansa its because their leader isnt showing much concern....if he was running around looking for aid like he is supposed to maybe he would make it a bigger story....
Is Pakistan getting the attention it deserves?
| Tuesday, 8 Aug. 2010 | 18:00 - 20:00 GMT
Do you remember the aftermath of the 2004 tsunami in South-East Asia? How it seemed so many people, across such a wide area, had been affected; the widespread devastation; the millions seeking help?
Well, far more people have been affected by the floods in Pakistan than were by the tsunami. Indeed, throw in the 2005 Kashmir earthquake and the 2010 Haiti quake and you're still not near the figure - a total of 14 million in need of humanitarian assistance, according to Maurizio Giuliano, a spokesman for the UN Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
To put that into context, that is the entire population of a country like Ecuador or Mali, or a megacity like Delhi or Lagos.
Of course, only a tiny fraction of the number of people killed in the tsunami have perished in the floods. Casualties are estimated at 1,600 - around 0.003 percent of the numbers killed in the other disasters.
But does it perhaps seem a bizarre contradiction that more money is raised when more are dead. By definition - and not wishing to seem crass - the dead are beyond help; it is the survivors who need the aid.
The money pledged so far to help survivors in Pakistan is $95,604,766, - although two thirds of that is in the form of "unconfimed pledges" that, if history is any guide, are likely to go unfulfilled.
That equates to $6.82 per survivor. In contrast, after the tsuanmi, $3,348,000,000 was committed for five million survivors - which works out at $669.60 for each of them.
Pakistan is known to be desperate for outside help - the New York Times reports that members of the country's government appear "overwhelmed and daunted by the magnitude of the devastation."
Hina Rabbani Khar, the state minister for economic affairs, broke into tears as she described the plight of her constituency in the Muzaffargarh district of southwestern Punjab to Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani during a meeting that was broadcast live on state-run television. "We were not prepared for this kind of a disaster," Ms Khar said, her voice quivering and tears running down her face.
There are now concerns that because of the lukewarm international response, organisations with links to terror groups - including the Taliban - are stepping in to fill the gap.
The UN secretary-general, Ban Ki-Moon, has had to issue an appeal for "several hundred million dollars" at a news conference.
Meanwhile the focus has fallen on the leadership - or, some argue, absence of same - of the country's president, Asif Ali Zardari.
Zardari has only now arrived back in the country following a tour of Europe that shoes being thrown at him in Birmingham - a tour that prompted much criticism at home.
Here's Ayaz Amir, a Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leader :
"Even when governments can't cope, they can at least show empathy. That was missing. Who was the first person on the scene? The army chief. This has really cost [Zardari] heavily... The image of President Zardari visiting his chateau in France, while there was devastating flooding in Pakistan: this will have long-term effects."
And here's Zaman Malik, a retired civil servant in Islamabad:
"I was part of the earthquake effort. We had so much more confidence. Today, this is a major disaster but who is in the driving seat?"
Others, however, have defended the president - such as blogger Cafe Pyala:
Were he not the president, would the suffering of the affectees of the biggest floods in Pakistan's history be any less? Would the administration become super-efficient? Isn't the issue of the inherent lack of capacity of the Pakistani state to deal with such crises a bigger issue than Zardari and his jaunts? Criticise him by all means but is a man chucking a couple of shoes in his direction really a bigger story than the tens of millions displaced from their homes? Or have we become so blinded by our rage and the cult of personality that we are willing to jettison all sense of proportion?
Meanwhile, after the initial coverage as the worst of the monsoon struck 10 days ago, the story has somewhat fallen away from the news agenda.
On Monday, for example, the news was dominated by a dispute - in admittedly a very important case - between a 1990s supermodel and an actress best known for a 1960s horror film.
So why has Pakistan dropped down the agenda? Do you wish more was being done? Or do you think there is simply too much to cope with at the moment? Are you embarrassed by the actions of the President, or is there nothing more he can do? Do you worry about groups linked to terror taking over the administration of aid?
Your comments
Comment sent via Facebook
Vicki Halliday That the highlight of the Charles Taylor war crimes tribunal is a bitch fight between testimonies of Campell, Mia Farrow and an agent seems trivial beyond belief.
Comment sent via Facebook
Hyder Pirwany Hardly anyone knew about this trial until Naomi Campbell came to give the evidence and 大象传媒 News Channel decided to start broadcasting the trial "live." Now it is front page news in all the newspapers ahead of Pakistan floods.
Comment sent via host
On air now: Is the trial of Charles Taylor being trivialised and why are we so facinated with Naomi Campbell?
Comment sent via Facebook
Usman Aslam I am a Pakistani by origin and even I spent days worrying how to help. The obvious thing was to send money to Pakistan High Commission, but I don't trust the corrupt lot of them. Anybody who is part of the Government (with the exception of ...army) is on my blacklist and will not see a penny of my money. I advise the same to any of you kind hearted people who might wish to donate. I have finally selected Islamic Relief which is a UK registered charity and is NOT confined to helping only Muslims or Islamic countries in the hour of need. Anybody wishing to help could either give to Islamic Relief or Edhi Foundation. Edhi foundation is the largest charitable organisation in Pakistan and owns and runs country's only reliable Ambulance network.
Comment sent via Facebook
Tom Koller I think it is very simple. Money is short, and the nation has been more hostile to others than helpful. The other events you have named all involved countries that were not aggressive. You reap what you sow.
Comment sent via Facebook
Alasan Bah its a lesson for pakistan, they should rethink their surpport for nato/usa in their strugle in Afganistan.
Comment sent via Facebook
Enos Mutwana I think every country has a disaster of its own so running 2 help pakistan is illogical
Comment sent via Facebook
Muyunda Yuyu Chansa this crisis in Pakistan does not compare with the other crises mentioned in the topic above because of the death tolls in the above disasters.the 2004 tsunami is on yhe top ten worst natural disators in a thousand years....
Comment sent via Facebook
Albert Gomperts Because Pakistan has had a pretty unfavourable press the last years.
Comment sent via Facebook
Msekwa SeksyBling Mwiinga Michael lets face facts,had there been oil or something of value to the USA in Pakistan they would be there in a flash.
Comment sent via Facebook
Adnan Magsi Because Most western Nations does like Pakistan any way so why it matters any ways if its earth Quake or floods. Corrupt Politicians are main problem of Pakistan and They want Money for themselves but on name of Pakistan,s Problems. Poor people in country does not get any thing, What they make out of their whole life earnings is taken away with natural disaster what left will be sucked by those thirsty vampire Politician. We don't want to be a big Story but we want to be Big but good part of Story. God Bless Pakistan
Comment sent via Facebook
Mandie Rainwater I've seen reports on the news, but no outcry for donations. I want to help, but no aid organization has said they are going to help.
Comment sent via Facebook
Sarah Elizabeth Canido I dare to say there might not be to much sympathy left for the middle east... i say that beacause i think if that happened else where it would be a bigger story. :o(
Comment sent via YOURSAY
John Cleveland Who cares about the floods in Pakistan? The people don't like us. They aid and abed Osama Bin Laden. Who cares? Let them figure this out for themselves and get aid from rich Saudi Arabia or some other Muslim nation.
Comment sent via Facebook
Muyunda Yuyu Chansa its because their leader isnt showing much concern....if he was running around looking for aid like he is supposed to maybe he would make it a bigger story....