<p>Shah was the topmost US official to visit Pakistan this week in the aftermath of the devastating flood that has engulfed more than one-fifth of the country affecting over 20 million people. <br /><br /> Talking to foreign journalists on his return from Pakistan, Shah, who is Administrator<a href="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/search?q=Administrator"> of the USAID said the incident happened during his visit to a site in Sukur where theWorld Food Programme </a><a href="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/World-Food-Programme"> was distributing relief material and was talking to women standing in line. <br /><br /> "I really did want to listen to the people standing in line and learn about how we, together with our partners, can mount the most effective response on their behalf. <br /><br /> I had hoped to spend more time talking to the people in line," he said. <br /><br /> "But within a few minutes of being there, our Diplomatic Security detail informed me that there were some suspicious individuals in the area and we needed to leave. <br /><br /> So we tried to make as graceful and appropriate an exit as possible," Shah said. <br /><br /> "I understand, in this situation and perhaps in others, that TTP (Tehrek-e- Taliban</a><a href="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/Taliban"> Pakistan) and others have actually been threatening aid relief workers and international aid relief workers," he noted. <br /><br /> "I can't tell you how disappointed and inappropriate that feels, when you've been there and you've talked to people who've literally lost everything and are just trying to survive. <br /><br /> "The fact that suspicious individuals had been in this site, in part because they knew I was coming, and the day before, our security folks who had gone out there, of course, hadn't seen any signs of them, is an indication. <br /><br /> These are open sites. People can get there. The whole point is to have people who are in urgent need come and get food," he said. <br /><br /> "It is deeply saddening that others would choose to use these environments to propagate themselves or to threaten international aid workers. <br /><br /> But, you know, I'm happy that I had a chance to talk to a few women. I would have liked to talk to more. I think the stories you learn from them really motivate and provide information that can help us do a better job. Our goal right now is just to make sure we're feeding and saving as many people as possible," Shah said.<br /></a></p>
<p>Shah was the topmost US official to visit Pakistan this week in the aftermath of the devastating flood that has engulfed more than one-fifth of the country affecting over 20 million people. <br /><br /> Talking to foreign journalists on his return from Pakistan, Shah, who is Administrator<a href="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/search?q=Administrator"> of the USAID said the incident happened during his visit to a site in Sukur where theWorld Food Programme </a><a href="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/World-Food-Programme"> was distributing relief material and was talking to women standing in line. <br /><br /> "I really did want to listen to the people standing in line and learn about how we, together with our partners, can mount the most effective response on their behalf. <br /><br /> I had hoped to spend more time talking to the people in line," he said. <br /><br /> "But within a few minutes of being there, our Diplomatic Security detail informed me that there were some suspicious individuals in the area and we needed to leave. <br /><br /> So we tried to make as graceful and appropriate an exit as possible," Shah said. <br /><br /> "I understand, in this situation and perhaps in others, that TTP (Tehrek-e- Taliban</a><a href="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/Taliban"> Pakistan) and others have actually been threatening aid relief workers and international aid relief workers," he noted. <br /><br /> "I can't tell you how disappointed and inappropriate that feels, when you've been there and you've talked to people who've literally lost everything and are just trying to survive. <br /><br /> "The fact that suspicious individuals had been in this site, in part because they knew I was coming, and the day before, our security folks who had gone out there, of course, hadn't seen any signs of them, is an indication. <br /><br /> These are open sites. People can get there. The whole point is to have people who are in urgent need come and get food," he said. <br /><br /> "It is deeply saddening that others would choose to use these environments to propagate themselves or to threaten international aid workers. <br /><br /> But, you know, I'm happy that I had a chance to talk to a few women. I would have liked to talk to more. I think the stories you learn from them really motivate and provide information that can help us do a better job. Our goal right now is just to make sure we're feeding and saving as many people as possible," Shah said.<br /></a></p>