ISLAMABAD, Oct 22: Pakistan on Saturday said it had accepted an offer by Nato to deploy its forces in quake-affected areas “mainly for reconstruction” of destroyed infrastructure.

“Pakistan has conveyed in principle acceptance of the Nato offer,” a foreign ministry statement said.

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (Nato) on Friday approved plans to send up to 1,000 troops to Pakistan as part of a beefed-up package of help for the quake-hit country.

“Nato has been informed that the deployment will be in consultation with Pakistan and will be mainly for reconstruction of the destroyed infrastructure such as a shelter, hospitals, roads, bridges, schools,” it said.

The Western military alliance would also work for the provision of medical care, as well as for aerial movement of supplies and those requiring urgent medical attention, it said.

The Nato force would consist of a reinforced engineering battalion of some 1,000 personnel, which would be self-sustaining and fully equipped for the required work, it said.

The force would initially bring four helicopters, and was expected to bring more according to need, a medical field hospital with staff and supplies, and a logistic team for the unloading and loading of Nato planes, it said.

Nato chief Jaap de Hoop Scheffer has underlined that the operation was of an unprecedented scale for the 26-nation alliance.

“Nato is not an international aid agency, but the situation is so serious,” he told reporters on Friday after the extra measures were agreed by Nato ambassadors in Brussels.

Switzerland relief: Switzerland said on Saturday that it will send a fourth aircraft with hundreds of tons of humanitarian aid to Pakistan, still struggling to help the homeless after a massive earthquake on October 8.

The Antonov plane will leave on Sunday for the devastated region transporting a mobile hospital, tents, blankets and stoves, said Jean-Philippe Jutzi, a spokesman.—AFP