MUZAFFARABAD, Oct 21: At least 200 students and six faculty members of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir University were killed on Oct 8 in the severest earthquake that hit the region, a spokesman for AJK’s highest seat of learning said here on Friday.
Mr Zafar Iqbal said the university had suffered heavy material losses as well at its old and new campuses, with 14 departments, two boys’ hostels and three girls’ hostels completely destroyed or rendered unfit for occupation.
He identified the faculty members who had lost their lives in the quake as Prof Dr Mohammad Aslam; Prof Taj Mohammad Khattak, Chairman, Department of Botany; Prof Dr Khadija Ali, Institute of Economics; Naeem-ur-Rehman, lecturer in physics, and a lecturer from the department of arts and design.
The housing colony and administration block stadium, the old and new library buildings, two cafeterias and two mosques have all been destroyed or badly damaged, he said, adding that the building of the faculty of agriculture, Rawalakot campus, was also severely damaged.
The spokesman said that the university administration was deeply shocked over the loss of precious human lives and expressed its heartfelt condolences with the bereaved families.
US TEAM: An eight-member team from the US embassy in Pakistan arrived here on Friday to sort out practical problems regarding the establishment of the Mobile Army Surgical Hospital (MASH) in the quake-hit region.
“Our sole purpose is to extend more and more help to those who are in need of help in these tough times,” said US embassy official Deborah Esteves.
“We feel very sad about the physical and material losses and want to do all those things which can provide relief to victims of this worst natural disaster,” she told Dawn at the office of AJK Communications and Works Minister Chaudhry Tariq Farooq.
The minister had offered his office to the US team to help them launch and coordinate activities from there for the rehabilitation of the quake-stricken people.
Ms Esteves said she was also in the process of getting some tents, food and medicines for the quake-hit people.
“We are the initial team from the US. More teams will follow us in the coming days,” she said.
She said the MASH will bring its own set up and they were here to identify and finalise the location of the 56-bed mobile hospital, which has 40 doctors and nurses capable of performing up to 20 operations a day and at the same time give emergency treatment to others with less serious injuries.
“The US army is also trying to establish a mobile school in Muzaffarabad in conjunction with MASH,” she said.
She said they had been told that there was no light and water here, “but I am pleased to see that power supply has been restored in most parts of the town.”
She said aid workers at home in the field of construction work were also expected in the AJK metropolis.
