SKARDU, Oct 25: The Skardu district administration on Monday dispatched to Muzaffarabad two truckloads of relief goods donated by the people of Baltistan for victms of the Oct 8 earthquake.

Northern Areas Legislative Council members Haji Fida Mohammad Nashad, Wazir Wilayat Ali and Sheikh Nisar Hussain; Municipal Committee Chairman Haji Ghulam Haider and officials were present on the occasion.

Talking to this correspondent, Skardu Assistant Commissioner Mohammad Kamal said people of Baltistan had donated generously for the purpose although the area itself was backward.

Various non-governmental, social, political and students’ organizations had set up relief camps here after the earthquake.

Government officers in the region are donating their salary of two days to the relief fund.

The district administrations in Skardu and Ghanche have set up relief camps in their offices and those of the assistant commissioners.

The students, teachers and staff of the Skardu Degree College have donated Rs116,000 to the President’s Relief Fund, the chairmen and members of district council and municipal committee have donated Rs100,000, each, and employees of grade 16 and below their two days’ salary. The doctors and paramedical staff of the district headquarters hospital have announced donation of their three days’ salary for the victims. A medical team from the hospital has left for Azad Kashmir with medicine and surgical instruments.

The Skardu assistant commissioner said a large number of tents, blankets, clothes and edible items had also been sent to Gultary, where 39 houses were damaged by the earthquake.