MEDAN, Jan 5: Pakistani troops left for Indonesia's worst-hit Bander Aceh province on Wednesday to set up a field hospital for people devastated by tsunami waves.
The first batch of the task force, comprising army doctors, paramedics and engineers, had arrived in North Sumatra province on Tuesday.
Heavy monsoon rains that lashed the calamity-stricken areas prevented the troops' movement to Bander Aceh for a day and they were undertaking a 12-hour journey to the province by road.
During their stay in Medan, the troops helped the US and other forces in dispatching relief goods to the areas ravaged by the earthquake and giant waves. Pakistani troops would set up a 50-bed hospital in Aceh to carry out minor surgery and meet other medical needs.
The entire deployment for the hospital would complete in a week's time through six C-130 sorties. A fleet of army engineers was accompanying the task force and would help in other relief efforts - removal of debris, construction of makeshift shelters and rescue operations.
The team has enough logistic support to carry out relief operation for about a month. "We will do everything to help the affected people and rescue the trapped victims," Col Javed Mir, mission leader of the Medical Corps, said.
Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Makhdoom Khusro Bakhtyar, who led the first batch on Tuesday, handed over relief goods to North Sumatra Governor Rizal Nurdin. He conveyed to the governor the deepest sympathies and condolences from President Gen Pervez Musharraf, Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz and the Pakistani nation.
Pakistan has sent similar assistance to Sri Lanka. Two Pakistan navy ships left for Colombo on Tuesday night with three helicopters and other relief goods including foodstuff, blankets, tents and medicines. Relief assistance has also been sent to Maldives and Pakistan said it will respond immediately to requests by other affected countries. -APP
