NEW YORK - Pakistans debt payments should be rescheduled and financial support stepped up as a part of international efforts to help the country deal with the gigantic task of mitigating the suffering of nearly three million people displaced by the anti-Taliban military offensive in Swat region, Pakistan Ambassador to the UN Abdullah Hussain Haroon said Tuesday. Speaking in the course of a discussion in Asia Society, a leading institution dedicated to educating Americans about Asia, he made a strong case not only for financial support but also for deferring loan repayments as was done during the Musharraf regime. Such a step would enable Pakistan to devote more of its resources to care for the dislocated civilians as well as for the reconstruction of areas heavily damaged by the fighting. We desperately need support at this difficult time as we fight Taliban militants, ambassador Haroon added. The discussion on the human catastrophe in Pakistan was moderated by Nicolas Platt, a former US Ambassador to Pakistan, and attended by representatives of various relief agencies, academics, experts and journalists. Also on the panel was George Rupp, president of the International Rescue committee, a global leader in providing emergency relief to the victims of violence. Both ambassador Platt and Rupp fervently urged donors, especially the United States, to come up with funds commensurate with the scale of the crisis. Rupp said Washington had special responsibility as it was taking the lead in pushing Pakistan to take on the Taliban. On his part, Platt said that United States $100 million aid package was inadequate, as he put it: just a drop in the bucket. Rupp also warned against the possibility of the Taliban mixing up with the displaced people. Giving detailed background of how Swat was ruled until its merger with Pakistan as well the events leading to the present crisis, ambassador Haroon said not only the Taliban, the Pakistan Army was also fighting al-Qaeda, which has a global agenda to spread its ideology through violent means. He said this was not Americas war on terror; it was worlds war against the scourge. The world, therefore, has a responsibility to come to the aid of Pakistan, which had in the past few years been hit by a series of disasters-the 2005 killer earthquake, the 2007 floods and lately by astronomical rise in energy and food prices. About the progress of the war, he said that Pakistan Army was clearing the valley of the Taliban as it advanced to other areas. But he felt it would take time. The Taliban will not go in a hurry, he said, adding, They keep coming back. Replying to a question, the ambassador said that adequate mechanisms and monitoring systems were in place to ensure that money being pumped into Pakistan did not go into wrong hand and was used for the welfare of the affectees and for the development of the region. Questioned about the release of Jamaatud Dawa chief Hafiz Saeed, Haroon said that he was set free by Pakistans independent judiciary, which emerged at the climax of the lawyers movement. The move did not violate UN Security Council resolution 1267, which targets JuD, as it makes no mention of detaining its leaders or members but instead imposes a travel ban, arms embargo and freezing of the assets. Pakistan, he added, was in full compliance of the resolution. Asked whether Islamabad would allow India to contribute humanitarian aid in Pakistan, the ambassador said there should be no objection to it. In his opinion, such a move would help ease tensions in South Asia. A questioner drew the attention of ambassador Platt about a widespread belief in Pakistan that India was aiding insurgents through its agents in Afghanistan to destabilise the country, ambassador Platt said he had no information about it. However, Platt pointed out that US Special Envoy Richard Holbrookes mandate included not only Pakistan and Afghanistan but also India.