From Lahore, international relations analyst Rasool Baksh Rais agrees with Hussain that the pledge largely is symbolic. But he says some elements within Pakistan will not take kindly to the sum, especially considering India's economy is much larger than Pakistan's.

"It is also a kind of insult to injury that you are acting like a regional hegemony and look at the growth of your economy," said Rais.

He says Islamabad's acceptance of the aid could put pressure on the civilian government, as it fights growing criticism from flood victims that they have not received enough aid.

"There has been even much critique from certain opposition forces that why we cannot mobilize the national resources; they can be more than enough to meet the challenge that we are facing," added Rais. "Why accept aid?"

Regardless of the source and size of the aid, analysts agree that every little bit will help as rains continue to soak a country seeking to emerge from the area's worst flooding in more than 80 years.