Pakistan floods 'hit 12m people'

The worst floods in Pakistan's history have now affected 12 million people, says the government relief agency.

General Nadeem Ahmed, of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), said that figure only covered Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab provinces.

Figures for Sindh province were not yet available, he added.

It has meanwhile emerged that a charity connected to a group allegedly linked to al-Qaeda has been winning hearts and minds in flood-hit areas.

As well as the estimate of 12 million people affected, Gen Ahmed said that 650,000 houses had been destroyed.

"In my opinion, when assessments are complete, this will be the biggest disaster in the history of Pakistan," he told a news conference in Islamabad on Friday.

There is mounting anger at the absence of President Asif Ali Zardari, who left the country for a state visit to Britain to meet the UK Prime Minister David Cameron.