MANSEHRA, Oct 18: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz has advised earthquake victims in Mansehra to move from mountains to tent villages set up by the government so that they may be provided with food and health facilities.

He was speaking to quake-affected people at the Mansehra Sports Stadium here on Tuesday after attending a briefing on relief operation being carried out in various parts of the district.

The prime minister said that at this hour of trial the army, civil administration and NGOs had been carrying out rescue and relief operation in unison but harsh weather had been hampering their activities.

He said the bulk of food items and other supplies had reached the affected areas but there was still a shortage of tents which were badly needed by the homeless in the chilly weather.

He said thousands of tents had already been provided to the quake-hit people and the government had also placed orders for one million beds to be put in tents.

The prime minister said that field hospitals with modern equipment and specialists had been set up in almost all major towns in the quake-stricken areas. He said patients would not have to go to Islamabad or other big cities for treatment because modern healthcare facilities had been arranged for them in field hospitals.

He said schools were being established in the tent villages to save the precious time of students.

Prime Minister Aziz was accompanied by NWFP Chief Minister Akram Khan Durrani and federal ministers Amanullah Khan Jadoon, Ejazul Haq and Javed Ashraf Qazi.

Earlier, the prime minister was received at the helipad by district nazim Sardar Mohammad Yousaf and MPAs Shujah Salim Khan, Zar Gul Khan and Wajeehuzzaman Khan.