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| October 28, 2005 | Friday | Ramzan 23, 1426 |
Earthquake death toll over 55,000: PM ISLAMABAD, Oct 28 (APP): Death toll from October 8 earthquake has crossed 55,000 while the number of injured has risen to 78,881, Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz told reporters at his chamber in the Parliament House on Friday. He said donations within the country for quake victims had so far totalled Rs. 5.2 billion while pledges worth 1.7 billion dollars have been received from the international community. Many countries including Saudi Arabia and United States have started special fund-raising campaigns, he said adding that the Saudi government has collected over 150 million Riyals so far. He said efforts were being made to overcome the shortage of tents and more than 300,000 tents would reach Pakistan before the end of November. 30,000 tents were being airlifted from Saudi Arabia. Referring to gigantic task of rehabilitation and reconstruction work, Shaukat Aziz said corrugated galvanized iron sheets and financial assistance would be provided to the people to repair and rebuild houses. Replying to a question, the Prime Minister said the opposition's apprehensions regarding the presence of NATO forces in Pakistan were baseless as only engineers and doctors from NATO were here to help in rehabilitation and reconstruction work in the affected areas. He said special tents are being provided for reviving academic activities. 250 such tents have been dispatched to Azad Kashmir and 200 to NWFP. The Prime Minister said Saudi Arabia is constructing 100-bed hospital in Balakot while UAE is setting up similar facility in Muzaffarabad. Contractors Association is building a hospital in Rawalakot, he added.(Posted @ 16:55 PST)
UN says lack of cash will ground its quake aid choppers ISLAMABAD, Oct 28 (AFP) The world has one last chance to give cash for Pakistan's quake victims or else the United Nations will be forced to stop its vital helicopter aid flights within days, relief officials said Friday. "We need the cash to keep the helicopters flying," UN humanitarian coordinator for Pakistan Jan Vandemoortele told a news conference in the capital Islamabad. "It is now or never. We will not have a second chance." Vandemoortele was referring to six UN choppers which form part of an international fleet of around 60 helicopters taking part in the mission to save survivors of the devastating October 8 earthquake. "We can keep the helicopters flying for one week," World Food Programme emergency coordinator Michael Jones told the same news conference. "If we don't keep it running people will die," he added. Choppers have been the backbone of efforts to get tents, blankets and food to around three million people left homeless by the earthquake. (Posted @ 14:20 PST)
Jordan holds telethon to raise aid for Pakistan AMMAN, Oct 28 (AFP) - Jordan on Friday staged a telethon to gather funds for the victims of Pakistan's massive earthquake, raising more than half a million dollars in the first hours of the campaign. By midafternoon some 420,000 dinars (588,000 dollars) in donations were phoned in to state-run Jordan television which is organising the event along with the Hashemite Charity Organisation. Religious Affairs Minister Abdel Salam Abbadi and Jordanian Prime Minister Adnan Badran, in separate statements on state television, appealed for donations. Badran set the tone by making a personal contribution of 10,000 dinars (14,000 dollars).The Arab Bank pitched in with a similar amount and announced that it was exceptionally opening up several branches after the midday Friday prayers to receive donations. The charity said it was looking as well for tents, blankets, foodstuff, medicine, medical equipment and new clothes. The telethon is being held at the request of King Abdullah II, the first head of state to travel to quake-stricken Pakistan on October 14. His wife, Queen Rania, will tour the devastated town of Muzaffarabad on Saturday on behalf of the UNICEF. She will take with her a planeload of relief aid, including blankets, tents, medical supplies, heaters and clothing. Jordan has already sent four planes of relief goods along with a 25-bed mobile hospital and 50-member staff.(Posted @ 21:34 PST)
SC directs IG Islamabad Police to ensure arrest of Margalla Towers builders ISLAMABAD, Oct 28 (APP): The Supreme Court on Friday directed Inspector General Islamabad Police to ensure arrest of builders of Margalla Towers by taking all necessary steps including extradition. A three-member bench also approved the rent payment formula for owner occupants presented by the Capital Development Authority (CDA) after negotiations with the affected families.(Posted @ 20:48 PST)
Pakistan seeks assistance of Saudi Red Crescent in building 100 bed hospital ISLAMABAD, Oct 28 (APP): Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz Friday asked Saudi Red Crescent to help build a 100- bed hospital in one of the earthquake affected areas. Talking to the President of Saudi Red Crescent Dr. Saleh Al Towairji who called on him along with a delegation of senior Saudi officials, he thanked the Saudi government for financial, moral, physical help and for building an air bridge to send relief goods to Pakistan after the earthquake. Saudi Arabia has scheduled seven flights to bring relief goods to Pakistan. The first flight arrived thursday . Dr. Saleh Al Towairji said that so far about one billion Saudi Riyal have been provided to Pakistan directly and indirectly from the government and non governmental sources of Saudi Arabia in cash and in kind. He said a Saudi NGO is planning to set up an orphanage in Mansehra. Saudi Deputy Minister for health Dr. Abdullah Al Sharif and Saudi Ambassador in Pakistan were also present in the meeting.(Posted @ 20:44 PST)
Musharraf says reconstruction cost to run into several billion dollars RAWALPINDI, Oct 28 (APP): President General Pervez Musharraf Friday said reconstruction cost in the earthquake-shattered areas would run into several billion dollars, considering the damage to all kinds of infrastructure building and houses. The President told James Lambright, President of the United States Export-Import Bank, that a donors' conference would be held soon where the cost estimates would be placed before Pakistan's development partners. He invited the Bank to support Pakistan in its reconstruction efforts and also in augmenting foreign direct investment. Mr Lambright said the Bank would look for opportunities to support Pakistan in its efforts to overcome this crisis and reiterated Bank's commitment to scale up its operations in Pakistan(Posted @ 20:26 PST)
Helicopters carry out relief, rescue operations for 2,750 hours ISLAMABAD, Oct 28 (APP): A total of 91 helicopters,taking part in relief and rescue operations have so far flown 2,750 hours. Twenty-two of these helicopters belong to foreign countries,18 to NGOs, and the rest belong to Army Aviation, PAF and Pakistan Navy. Army Aviation and other pilots have been flying for an aggregate of 225 hours per day.(Posted @ 20:02 PST)
Relief activities further accelerated by Pak Army in quake hit areas of NWFP PESHAWAR Oct 28 (APP): After physically covering almost all parts of the five districts of NWFP hit by the earthquake, Pakistan Army has further stepped up relief and rehabilitation operations, an ISPR press release said Friday. As many as 81 sorties were flown by Army Aviation to the affected areas airlifting food stuffs, water and medicines. From Chaklala Air Base 14 sorties dropped 230 tents, 1670 blankets, 28.012 tons ration and 0.034 ton other relief goods at Abbottabad, Balakot, Besham, Battagram, Kaghan and Mansehra. From there onwards, Army Aviation helicopters flew 67 sorties and airlifted 39.2 tons supplies and also evacuated 606 women and children and 10 patients.Pakistan Army dispatched 64 truck-loads of supplies while mule trains transported relief goods to inaccessible population. Six trucks with 363 tents, 1,249 blankets, 13.47 tons ration and 7.08 tons miscellaneous items reached Abbottabad; 30 trucks were sent to Chattar Plain, Balakot, Shinkiari and Battagram transporting 72 tents, 4,479 quilts, 6,425 blanket and 78.4 tons ration and medicines to 24 villages in Garhi Habibullah, 16 villages in Balakot, 35 villages in Battagram, four villagers of Battal and three villages of Shinkiari sectors. Six trucks carrying blankets, tents, wheel chairs, stretchers, supporting sticks and three trucks containing cloths and one truck f carrying milk was dispatched from Havelian to Mansehra. Ten more trucks of folding tumblers, shovels, cutters, hammers and some relief goods reached Mansehra from Havelian Railway Station. Similarly five trucks of relief goods each donated by Libya and Emergency Relief commission also reached Mansehra. Army Engineers removed debris of a collapsed bank at Balakot in presence of authorities and handed over record and valuables to the bank officials. The Engineers are also assisting a Malaysian team in setting up a 200- bed hospital in Battagram.(Posted @ 19:40 PST)
41-member Chinese medical team reaches ISLAMABAD, Oct 28 (APP):- A 41-member Chinese medical team including nine lady doctors arrived at Chaklala Airbase on Friday and will proceed forthwith to Balakot. They are carrying a payload of medical equipment and medicines etc. Minister of State Tariq Azim received the medical mission. Ambassador of China, Zhang Chun Xiang told journalists that China has already sent 15 cargo aircrafts carrying relief goods to Pakistan. He said he had witnessed the devastation and “so far, I don't think, the coming aid is enough ."(Posted @ 19:30 PST)
Top Muslim cleric calls for opening of Kashmir border as thousands pray SRINAGAR, occupied Kashmir, Oct 28 (AFP) - Tens of thousands of Muslims in occupied Kashmir Friday held prayers for the victims of the devastating South Asian earthquake as the region's top cleric and key separatist Mirwaiz Umer Farooq called for the opening of the de facto Kashmir border.Huge Friday congregations were reported throughout occupied Kashmir , with some 60,000 to 70,000 devotees turning up at Jamia Masjid in Srinagar , according to police estimates. Mirwaiz Umar Farooq led prayers for the victims and called for opening of the LoC."The time has come to dismantle the Line of Control (LoC) forever," said Mirwaiz. "Because of this line people are not able to meet each other and help each other during this hour of crisis," he said. "In other parts of the world such divides are becoming irrelevant but here we are not being allowed to help each other despite a tragedy without parallel in our history," he said . Muslims also thronged the Mir Syed Yaqoob shrine in large numbers, despite a bomb having been detected near the shrine earlier in the day, witnesses said.(Posted @ 19:10 PST)
England cricketers visit Pakistan quake victims in hospital ISLAMABAD, Oct 28 (AFP) - Four England cricketers made an emotional visit to a hospital in Islamabad Friday to comfort children injured by the massive October 8 earthquake. Captain Michael Vaughan, Marcus Trescothick, Ashley Giles amd Mathew Hoggard spent 40 minutes at the PIMS hospital. Witnesses said opening batsmen Trescothick and pacer Hoggard broke into tears when they saw 25-day-old Ahmad Akhtar, who had both his legs fractured. The baby boy was just a week old when the quake demolished his home in Muzaffarabad, the capital of Azad Kashmir which bore the brunt of the disaster.The English cricketers also spent time with six-year-old Wasim Yousaf, who lost all the fingers on his right hand.They also met 45-day-old baby girl Fiza, who also suffered two fractured legs.(Posted @ 18:58 PST)
NATO airlifts 450 tons of UN aid to Pakistan ANKARA, Oct 28 (AFP) - NATO airplanes have transported some 450 tons of UNHCR aid to quake-stricken Pakistan from a military base in southern Turkey, the UN refugee agency said here Friday.The airbridge between the Incirlik base in southern Turkey and Islamabad has been an "examplary operation" to help the earthquake victims, the UNHCR representative in Turkey, Gesche Karrenbrock, told reporters. "It is now in its 10th day. Of the about 860 tons of supplies that we had to ferry... about 450 tons have left so far," she said. UNHCR was considering to ship a second tranche of supplies to Pakistan via the same airbridge, she added .About 30 airplanes from NATO members Britain, Denmark, France, Greece, Italy, Turkey and the United States are taking part in the operation, UN officials said.(Posted @ 18:48 PST)
18 helipads established only in Bagh ISLAMABAD, Oct 28 (APP): Pakistan has established 18 helipads only in Bagh area to carry out relief operations. The army has reached up to 90 per cent areas of Bagh and in the remaining 10 per cent areas, NGOs and civilians are busy in relief activities, a spokesman said. (Posted @ 16:15 PST)
Aziz emphasizes need for coordination in relief activities ISLAMABAD, Oct 28 (APP): Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz on Friday said there should be coordination in rescue, relief and rehabilitation activities between the national and international organizations to ensure timely relief to the victims. Presiding over a meeting of national and international relief organizations here at the Prime Minister Secretariat, he said Pakistan still needs more help and assistance from the world community to cope with this disaster. Aziz said all agencies, organizations, NGOs, national and international relief organizations should coordinate with the National Relief Commissioner Lt. Gen. Farooq Ahmed Khan. He assured that the government had been taking all measures to provide the best possible help to the quake victims. The Prime Minister said after the rescue and relief operation, the government has now entered into the next gigantic and most difficult operation of rehabilitation and reconstruction. Aziz said some of the roads were being repaired while a number of roads need to be reconstructed that require a huge amount of funds. Aziz said provision of food and medical care were still at top of the relief operation. He said the ratio of serious patients from the damaged areas has now been reduced as many field hospitals were working in the affected areas. He added that keeping in view the magnitude of the loss, the government has decided to constitute a full time "Disaster Relief Agency" to cope with such disasters in future. (Posted @ 14:00 PST)
Earthquake death toll 55,000: Sherpao ISLAMABAD, Oct 28 (APP): The death toll from the October 8 massive earthquake increased to 55,000 and was likely to rise, Interior Minister Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao said here Friday. Talking to reporters he said 78,000 people were injured in the earthquake that ravaged an area spreading over 21,000 square kilometre, leaving millions homeless. "5,000 earthquake refugees have been settled down in tent villages and other places in Islamabad, over 10,000 injured are under treatment in different hospitals of Islamabad and Rawalpindi”, he said. The minister said in the wake of the earthquake, 55 countries had provided aid to Pakistan. "The government is striving to shelter quake survivors in tent villages, but many people are not ready to leave their areas," he said. Sherpao said every effort was being made to bridge the gap between demand and supply of tents. (Posted @ 14:00 PST)
Annan, Clinton set to visit Pakistan quake zone ISLAMABAD, Oct 28 (AFP) UN Secretary General Kofi Annan and former US President Bill Clinton may visit Pakistan in the aftermath of the huge South Asian earthquake, the foreign office said Friday. The timing of their trips has not been finalised but officials said the pair were most likely to come in November, when winter will be posing a new threat to millions of people left homeless by the October 8 disaster. A United Nations official speaking on condition of anonymity also said that Annan was set to visit Pakistan. (Posted @ 12:05 PST)
Malaysia gives 1.0 million dollars to Pakistan quake victims PUTRAJAYA, Oct 28 (AFP) Malaysia on Friday pledged to contribute 1.0 million dollars towards Pakistan's earthquake relief effort, saying it was vital to help homeless victims before winter arrives. "More than two weeks since the massive earthquake struck South Asia, the scale of the disaster continues to shock and sadden us," Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar told reporters. Syed Hamid said that to complement the financial contribution, Malaysia had sent blankets, tents, food and medicines and deployed volunteers to carry out relief activities in the worst-affected areas of Pakistan. "Obviously, for operations of such nature, we need to do more," he added. (Posted @ 10:45 PST)
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