Saturday, November 19 2005 15:07 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Islamabad: International donors gathered today (Nov 19, 2005) to pledge funds to help Pakistan recover from the massive earthquake that killed more than 87,000 people, with the UN chief calling for an urgent and enduring response to an 'unprecedented disaster.'

Pakistan's Government is seeking US$ 5.2 billion. Before today's conference in Islamabad, it said that some US$ 2.4 billion had been pledged, but less than 10 per cent has been given.

The United Nations warned that relief efforts could collapse without sustained funding.

"The earthquake of October 8 was an unprecedented disaster. It requires us to mount an unprecedented response," Annan told representatives from about 50 countries including from those from India about half of them ministers and deputy ministers.

"There are urgent humanitarian needs that demand our continuing attention. The difficult terrain makes this one of the most challenging relief operations ever undertaken," he said. The Asian Development Bank today pledged to provide about US$ one billion to Pakistan for earthquake relief. It was not immediately clear how much of that money was included in the government's figure for total pledges.

"We are now in a race against time," Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz told the conference. "While the first wave of injuries and trauma have been taken care of, we recognize that the emergency relief assistance must continue for a period longer than expected, "he said.