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| October 17, 2005 | Monday | Ramazan 12, 1426 |
Pakistan's official quake death toll 41,000: interior minister ISLAMABAD, Oct 17 (AFP) - Pakistan said Monday that 41,000 people were confirmed dead in its massive earthquake and another 67,000 injured, as workers pulled more bodies from the rubble. "As of today the confirmed death toll is 41,000 dead and 67,000 injured," Interior Minister Aftab Sherpao told AFP, raising his toll given Saturday of more than 38,000 dead. Sherpao said the government's confirmed toll came amid a continued survey of the areas hit by the October 8 earthquake, and some regions remain cut off. "We are mapping the affected areas to find out the number of people living in cities, towns and villages in the quake-hit areas to find out how many are dead, how many are injured and how many homeless," he said.(Posted @ 21:25 PST)
IMF-MD calls on Musharraf Rawalpindi, Oct 17 (PPI)Mr. Rodrigo de Rato, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) along with three senior-level members of his team called on the President Pervez Musharraf here Monday.Rodrigo de Rato appreciated the Government's rapid response to this natural calamity and also commended the spontaneous efforts which the citizens of Pakistan have mounted to mitigate the suffering of affected population of NWFP and Azad Kashmir. He also discussed Pakistan's economic situation.(Posted @ 23:45 PST)
Over 23,000 ration packs from UK for quake victims LONDON Oct 17(APP) Over 23,000 ration packs have been sent to Pakistan as further relief for earthquake victims, as part of UK's wider earthquake relief effort, Defence Secretary John Reid announced here on Monday. A Royal Air Force C-130 Hercules transported 3,150 Halal operational ration packs and bottled water from British Forces in Afghanistan to Islamabad, said the Minstry of Defence sources here today. A further 19,950 vegetarian ration packs will be dispatched from Defence stores at Bicester today for transportation to Ramstein, Germany and onward by NATO airlift to Pakistan.(Posted @ 23:30 PST)
80 solidiers of Pakistan army air dropped in worst quake-hit area of Neelum valley ISLAMABAD, Oct 17 (APP): Army Aviation helicopters on Monday dropped 80 soldiers of Pakistan Army at Patika, one of the worst hit places in Neelum valley (25 Kilometer north east of AJK capital, to carry out relief and rescue operations. Carried by 3 helicopters the troops were carrying load of relief items on their backs. Similarly helicopters were also packed to capacity with relief items for distribution among the affectees in Patika and Davelian. Earlier, during the last eight days the relief items had been dropped in Patika and Devlian by helicopters due to non existence of road network. Since the repair of roads would take more time the troops were airlifted to carry out relief and rescue operations in the area. In Jhelum valley the troops carried out relief and rescue operations on foot. Rescue teams comprising each of 9 men were spread out in the far flung areas on either side of the river Jhelum to provide relief items to the victims and carry out rescue operation. Each man was carrying a pack of ten Kilogram of relief items. Over 1000 families were provided relief items.(Posted @ 23:15 PST)
Rain ends, aid flown to Pakistan quake survivors MUZAFFARABAD, Pakistan, Oct 17 (Reuters) Vital helicopter flights carrying food, blankets and tents to untold numbers of survivors of the earthquake in northern Pakistan resumed on Monday as lashing rains which compounded their misery ended. It's been nine days since the earthquake pulverised the mountains of Kashmir and the North West Frontier Province, and helicopters were the only means of getting aid quickly to the traumatised survivors. Mules, horses and donkeys were also trying to get into areas of NWFP and the Neelum and Jhelum valleys of Azad Kashmir. A steady trickle of people, some of them carrying injured, continued to emerge from the hills, overwhelming hospitals where doctors were working round the clock. All too often, they were being obliged to amputate limbs after broken bones untreated for too long turned gangrenous and the confirmed death toll -- now nearly 40,000 with 65,000 injured -- was expected to rise substantially. There were also fears of disease from ruined sewage systems and drinking water sources after the earthquake, which killed another 1,300 people in Occupied Kashmir. (Posted @ 09:50 PST)
Two Pakistani children rescued nine days after quake ISLAMABAD, Oct 17 (AFP) - Army rescuers Monday saved two children from the mountains in northwestern Pakistan nine days after the region was ravaged by a massive earthquake, the military said. Five-year-old Tajun Nissa was rescued by troops in Hassa village near the town of Balakot in North West Frontier Province, while eight-year-old boy, Abdul Jabbar, who had been stranded at a village since the October 8 earthquake, was found in Kaghan valley north of Balakot, it said. The boy had come from Haripur town to see his relatives in the village of Jareed when the earthquake killed his hosts. "He was left alone for eight days till he was recovered by army rescue teams early Monday," the statement said. On Sunday, rescuers had found an 11-year-old girl who could not walk because of polio. Her younger brothers walked down the mountains and alerted the army.(Posted @ 21:48 PST)
More than a million out of work after Pakistan quake: ILO GENEVA, Oct 17 (AFP) - More than a million people may have lost their jobs in Pakistan as a result of the devastating earthquake there, the International Labour Organisation said Monday. The October 8 disaster compounded the grinding poverty that was already the daily lot of many people in Azad Kashmir and the North West Frontier Province, the ILO said.Prior to the earthquake, each employed person in the region also supported at least two additional dependants, leaving more than two million affected by the economic impact of the disaster, it said. ILO’s initial assessment showed the quake had destroyed most infrastructure and also caused heavy loss of livestock and agricultural implements, which are the mainstay in the rural areas. The hardest hit areas are among the poorest in Pakistan, with millions of people living on less than two dollars a day even before the disaster, said the ILO. "By losing their employment, even for a short period of time, workers in the affected districts have likely already fallen into extreme poverty," said ILO chief Juan Somavia. Pakistan said Monday that 41,000 people were confirmed dead and another 67,000 injured in the disaster. Around 2.5 million were left homeless.(Posted @ 21:38 PST)
Pakistan to accept Indian choppers but without pilots ISLAMABAD, Oct 17 (AFP) - Pakistan said Monday it was willing to accept helicopters from rival India -- but without pilots -- for relief operations in quake-hit regions, due to "obvious sensitivities.""Pakistan was willing to accept helicopters from India if these were offered without pilots," the foreign ministry said in a statement. "Given the obvious sensitivities, we could not accept involvement of Indian military on our side for relief operations," it said.(Posted @ 21:14 PST)
Key road in Kashmir valley reopened, aid for quake victims rushes in GHARI DUPATTA, Pakistan, Oct 17 (AFP) - A key road into the quake-devastated Jhelum valley in Pakistani Kashmir was reopened by army bulldozers Monday, allowing a flood of relief aid into areas previously only reached by helicopter. An AFP reporter saw long convoys of trucks carrying supplies roll into the lower valley mid-afternoon as soon as the bulldozers had cleared a massive landslide that had blocked the road near the small quake-struck town of Ghari Dupatta. Thousands of people also crossed into the town on foot, most of them weighed down by bags of food, clothing, tents and blankets they had managed to get from relief agencies doing distribution further up the road at Tanale. Major Farooq Nasir, the army spokesman in Muzaffarabad, said that with the gradual reopening of blocked access routes, the army was pushing further into far-flung locations so that soldiers could carry supplies into the mountains.(Posted @ 20:26 PST)
Heavy machinery arrives in 2 US ships Islamabad, Oct 17 (PPI) Two U.S ships ferrying tons of heavy machinery and other earthquake relief equipment and supplies berthed at Karachi port Monday. U.S Navy vessels USS Northern Lights and USS Pearl Harbor were diverted from normal operations to urgently load more than 25 dump trucks, front end loaders, backhoes, cargo trucks, a road grader, a forklift, a generator, and other equipment and supplies which represent just a portion of the more than $50 million in disaster relief pledged by the United States.(Posted @ 20:15 PST)
Kashmir council discusses option to set up temporary airport in Muzaffarabad ISLAMABAD, Oct 17 (APP): President and Prime Minister of Azad Kashmir Monday asked the government to explore the possibility of opening up a temporary airport in Muzaffarabad to expedite relief operations. They presented the proposal in the meeting of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Council which met under the chairmanship of Pakistan Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz who is also the Chairman of the Council. The request has been sent to the Chairman, Earthquake Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Authority, Lt. Gen. Muhammad Zubair.(Posted @ 19:58 PST)
Kaleem Saadat visits newly established Muzaffarabad Forward airbase ISLAMABAD, Oct 17 (APP): Air Chief Marshal Kaleem Saadat, Chief of the Air Staff visited newly set up Forward Airbase at Muzaffarabad here Monday. He was informed that in a period of six days (11-16 October) PAF air-lifted 163,000 kg of relief cargo including tents, blankets, dry ration, medicines etc. for the disaster stricken population of Muzaffarabad and adjacent areas through various PAF aircraft including Y-12, C-130, CASA and MI-17 helicopters. There aircraft flew over 75 sorties last one week. He was also briefed on the medical care provided by the 50-bedded hospital which is equipped with Mobile Operation Threater, Mobile -X-Ray and other essential medical equipments. The PAF’s nine doctors' team which consist of Orthopedic Surgeons, GDMO, Anesthetist and gynecologist, duly supported by Paramedical Staff treated a total of 1,675 patients and carried out 51 operations. 126 seriously injured were airlifted to PAF Airbase Chaklala for further transportation to other hospitals.(Posted @ 19:46 PST)
NWFP Govt to establish tent village in Havalian: Minister PESHAWAR, Oct 17 (APP): NWFP government would establish a tent village over 1200 canal land in Havalian for the rehabilitation of earthquake victims of districts Abbattabad, Mansehra, Batgram and Kohistan, Provincial Minister for Local Government and Rural Development Sardar Idress said on Monday. " All the basic facilities including clean drinking water, electricity, dispensary, schools, mosque and other necessities of life would be available in the Havalian tent village", he told newsmen in Abbotabad Monday. A Saudi relief organization would also set up tent village in Ayub Medical Complex with 500 tents, he informed. Sardar Idress said the government has provided compensation amount to the district administration according to which the heirs of each deceased would get Rs.100,000 while Rs.25,000 will be given to each injured. He asked the affectees to register their names after due attestation from the concerned Nazim of union council or Patwari. He also asked people to hand over orphaned children to the DCOs, adding that such children would be shifted to Darul Kafala in Peshawar.(Posted @ 19:30 PST)
Pakistan makes fresh appeal for tents, blankets, trauma teams ISLAMABAD, Oct 17 (APP): Pakistan Monday made a fresh appeal for more tents and blankets while seeking fully equipped medical trauma teams to treat over 65,000 badly injured people arriving daily in large numbers from the quake affected areas. Major- General Farooq Ahmed Khan, Federal Relief Commissioner, said medical and trauma teams with orthopaedic surgeons, volunteer doctors and para medical staff along with, X-rays, CT Scan and other related equipment were urgently required. He said the government has identified all areas affected by the earthquake. He said the death toll may have to be revised upwards as more bodies were being recovered in large numbers daily. He said around 100,000 people have been affected in Jhelum valley and another 30,000 in lower Neelum valley. He said Neelum and Jhelum valley roads would require "concerted" efforts of around four weeks to be fully operational. However, he said relief supplies through mules and air drops by C-130s and helicopters were continuing.(Posted @ 19:22 PST)
PML briefs diplomats on quake relief, rehabilitation ISLAMABAD, Oct 17 (APP): President Pakistan Muslim League Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain Monday said a long- term and comprehensive strategy is being prepared for the rehabilitation of the earthquake affectees. Briefing foreign diplomats at PML House he said relief efforts would continue till the set objectives were achieved. Secretary General PML Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed said that presently 67 countries, 92 international NGOs, 16 global organizations, 19 rescue teams and 16 foreign mobile hospitals were providing help to quake victims. Senior Vice President of PML Gohar Ayub said some badly affected areas were still inaccessible and roads remained blocked. Hence more helicopters were required to air-lift tents, blankets and other essential goods. Diplomats from USA, UK, Canada, France, Russian, Malaysia, Denmark, Thailand, Rumania, China and many other countries attended the briefing.(Posted @ 19:05 PST)
75 % electricity in earthquake hit areas of NWFP and AJK restored ISLAMABAD, Oct 17 (APP): Wapda has restored electricity in almost 75 per cent of the earthquake affected areas of NWFP and AJK and the remaining will be energized within the week. Power supply to Rawalakot and its adjoining areas was fully restored last week, supply to Hajeera was restored four days of the earthquake and work is in progress at some feeders of the Bagh grid system. Due to non-clearance of road, work has not yet started in the Hattian (AJK) and Noseri (AJK) grid station in the Neelum and Lipa sector but power supply has been fully restored in Abbottabad, Battal, Balakot, Thakot, and Muzaffarabad .(Posted @ 18:50 PST)
Aid finally reaches Kashmir's quake survivors MUZAFFARABAD, Pakistan, Oct 17 (AFP) - Aid finally started reaching some of Pakistan's thousands of cold and hungry earthquake survivors Monday as helicopters, trucks and donkeys raced to reach Himalayan villages cut off for nine days. The sun shone after two days of heavy rain that grounded flights, letting dozens of choppers scour the mountains where aid workers warn thousands could die within days without food, tents and blankets. "The main thing that has changed in the last 24 hours is that it seems to be more under control, as far as this situation can be," said Alain Pasche, the UN coordination chief in Muzaffarabad. Major Farooq Nasir, the army spokesman in Muzaffarabad, said the clear skies would permit around 80 air sorties on Monday, one of the highest since the 7.6 Richter-scale earthquake tore apart entire villages on October 8. "We are pushing into far-flung locations so soldiers are able to carry goods up in the mountain," he said. A road from Muzaffarabad to the town of Ghari Dupatta, which had been supplied only by air, would soon be reopened, Nasir said. Balakot received its first trucks Monday from WFP but Mia Turner, a spokeswoman for the World Food Program, said that about 600 of the 900 villages in the Balakot area remain inaccessible. Relief groups say thousands of earthquake survivors face hypothermia, diarrhea and other diseases unless they immediately get bedding and shelter. "The urgent medical phase is now winding down. Structures are being put in place on the ground," said Olivier Moeckli of the International Committee of the Red Cross. Dozens more shops reopened in Muzaffarabad including a bakery, a barber and grocery stores.(Posted @ 17:25 PST)
First WFP trucks reach quake-hit Balakot BALAKOT, Pakistan, Oct 17 (AFP) Trucks carrying aid from the UN World Food Program (WFP) on Monday reached the ravaged northern Pakistani town of Balakot for the first time, nine days after the earthquake that reduced it to rubble. The trucks were carrying wheat and beans to be distributed to around 700 people in the coming days from the town in North West Frontier Province, a spokesman of WFP said. Balakot has seen little sign of international aid, which has been focused on Muzaffarabad, the ravaged capital of Pakistani Kashmir. The Balakot region is particularly difficult to reach as access to 600 of the 900 villages in the area was cut off after the earthquake, the spokesman added. Many residents of Balakot have fled to other parts of Pakistan since the earthquake and the town has become a sea of tents housing people from surrounding areas. (Posted @ 14:40 PST)
Relief official removed after political aid complaint SRINAGAR, Oct 17 (AFP) A senior official in charge of relief in quake-hit Occupied Kashmir has been removed after complaining that politicians were diverting vital aid to constituents. Aijaz Kakroo, who was in charge of relief in the worst-hit Uri district, detailed political interference led by the state consumer affairs minister, saying it stopped aid reaching the most needy. (Posted @ 14:10 PST)
Pakistan faces second wave of quake deaths MUZAFFARBAD, Pakistan, Oct 17 (Reuters) Quake-hit northern Pakistan faces a second wave of deaths with thousands of injured lying untreated in the remnants of remote mountain villages as winter closes in fast, doctors and aid officials said on Monday. Authorities are launching a house-to-house survey in Azad Kashmir this week to try to determine the scale of the disaster, but aid and medial workers say the dying hasn't stopped and it could accelerate unless more help arrives fast. "There are 1,000 to 2,000 significantly wounded that need surgical treatment. Nobody knows how many are up on the slopes," Sean Keogh, a doctor at the British medical aid group Merlin, said of just one area at the top of the Neelum valley, Panjkot. He said he had seen numerous people with compound fractures, all getting infected. A seven-man Pakistani army medical team had been flown in by helicopter but was running out of supplies fast. "Wounds are pouring puss, patients are going to get septic and die," Keogh said. He said field hospitals had to be set up in the valley, which has a population of at least 150,000 people. "There are so many injured we're not going to get them all out by helicopter," he added. "You go up into these hills, there are loads of them everywhere and it's getting very cold. Shelter is a real problem." (Posted @ 12:00 PST)
Sodden Kashmiri quake survivors beg for tents KALGAI, Oct 17 (AFP) Desperate men and women were trekking through appalling conditions to plead for tents and supplies to save their families in Occupied Kashmir who now face the cruel Himalayan winter. "We have lost our homes and trade and if we don't find material to shelter our families then all will be lost," wept Mumtaz Ali, who lived in Kalgai village near the Line of Control. Almost non-stop rain that turned to sleet at higher altitudes since Friday, fractured a tenuous supply line to some 150,000 survivors in this worst-hit area. The weather improved Monday but about 90 percent of the survivors remain homeless from the October 8 tremor that killed at least 1,330 and left more than 5,000 others injured. Residents of cut-off villages such as Bani, Addusa, Nawaien Rundan and Chakra were braving terrible conditions, worsened by frequent aftershocks that spark rock falls and landslides. The state's chief aid coordinator Vijay Bakaya said "we have so far distributed 14,000 tents but we need 30,000 and we have no stocks in our hands." Relief workers scoffed at Bakaya's comments, saying the quake victims, especially children, were in danger of developing hypothermia. "We are talking in terms of hours and the administration is drawing grand, long-term strategies" Shakeel Bakshi, a Helping Hand chief coordinator said. One woman in Salamabad begged for a tent for her three rain-sodden children, but received only biscuits. "Please, please don't go away…my children will not survive another night in the cold," the unidentified woman screamed as the truck pulled off. She dropped down on the slush-covered road and wept. (Posted @ 11:55 PST)
Condemned Pakistani prisoners escape quake and noose MUZAFFARABAD, Pakistan, Oct 17 (Reuters) Dozens of hardened criminals awaiting execution in Pakistan escaped during the deadly South Asian earthquake earlier this month. Local people and officials say at least 15 prisoners were killed and around 40 injured, but more than half the estimated 120 inmates in Muzaffarabad Central Jail used the earthquake as an opportunity to escape. "I didn't even notice them escaping," said Ayub Mohammed, whose home used to overlook the main prison courtyard. "People were looking after themselves and their loved ones. I only heard afterwards (that) they had escaped." (Posted @ 11:25 PST)
| All Branches of The State Bank of Pakistan |
| All Treasuries |
| All Branches of National Bank of Pakistan |
| All Branches of Habib Hank of Pakistan |
| All Branches of United Bank of Pakistan |
| All Branches of Muslim Commercial Bank of Pakistan |
| All Branches of Allied Bank of Pakistan |
| All Branches of Bank Al Falah and |
| All other scheduled Banks within Pakistan |
Donations, both from domestic and international donors can be deposited in the above branches of the Banks. Donations from abroad can be deposited at all the branches of above banks in foreign countries where such branches exist.
In other foreign countries where these branches do not exist donations will be recevied by the Pakistan Missions and remitted to the State Bank of Pakistan.
All proceeds recevied in the name of the Fund will be credited to the public account of the Federal Government under following Head of Account:-
| "G 12 Special Deposit Fund |
| G 121 - Relief Funds |
| G 12130 " President's Relief Fund for Earthquake Victims-2005" |
Further information and details can be obtained from the
following telephone and fax numbers:-
Phone No : 051-9208100, 051-9202528,
Fax No : 051-9207635
Important Emergency Numbers in Pakistan
Prime Minister House Earthquake Relief Cell: 051-9213891, 051-9222666.
Disaster Relief Cell, PM Secretariat: 051-920-6111
Crisis Managment Cell, Commander 111 Brigade, Rawalpindi: 051-926-7596
Foreign Office Emergency Coordination Centre Phone: 051-920-7663, Fax: 051-922-4205, 051-922-4206
Disaster Relief Cell, PM Secretariat: 051-920-6111
Crisis Managment Cell, Commander 111 Brigade, Rawalpindi: 051-926-7596
Foreign Office Emergency Coordination Centre Phone: 051-920-7663, Fax: 051-922-4205, 051-922-4206
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