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| November 21, 2005 | Monday | Shawwal 18, 1426 |
Italian ship with machinery for relief operation arrive Tuesday KARACHI, Nov 21 (APP)- An Italian ship will reach Karachi Tuesday with 1,800 tons of heavy machinery including 140 vehicles to be utilized in reconstruction of the infrastructure in the earthquake affected Bagh area, Consul General of Italy in Karachi, Bruno A. Pasquino, told a news conference n Monday. He said that the first batch of Italian Engineer Corps consisting of 41 members arrived in Karachi by air on Sunday and will be involved in rebuilding of roads, clearing debris, setting up of camps and reconstruction of water distribution system. They will work in close coordination with Pakistan Army, NATO and the other countries.(Posted @ 18:46 PST)
Aftershock rattles northern Pakistan PESHAWAR, Nov 21 (AFP) - An aftershock from last month's giant earthquake jolted northern Pakistan Monday but there were no immediate reports of casualties or damage, officials said. The tremor measuring 5.5 on the Richter scale was the biggest to hit the country since a 6.0-magnitude shock on November 6. A total of 1,340 aftershocks have rattled the region since the October 8 disaster. "It was a moderate aftershock," meteorological department official Mohammad Arifullah said, adding that it was felt simultaneously in Peshawar, Abbotabad, Mansehra, Batgram and Islamabad at 1:26 pm (0826 GMT). The epicentre was 200 kilometers (125 miles) northeast of Peshawar, he said, in the same region where the original quake killed more than 74,000 people . Arifullah said two mild aftershocks of 5.0 and 4.0 magnitude were felt in the same region on Sunday morning.(Posted @ 18:44 PST)
Nine more cross border as Kashmir frontier opens wider TITHWAL, occupied Kashmir, Nov 21 (AFP) - Nine more people Monday walked across the heavily militarised border in disputed Kashmir. Officials said a Pakistani man and woman returning home crossed the LoC while five men and two women from occupied Kashmir were also allowed to cross to Azad Kashmir. Two dozen Kashmiris made history on Saturday when they walked over a 175-feet bridge from Tithwal to the Azad Kashmiri village of Chilyana to look for their missing relatives and mourn the dead. "This border is melting. It is great. Brother is able to see his brother," said Imtiaz Ahmed, a porter who has been carting relief goods from one side to the other.(Posted @ 18:34 PST)
Pakistan warned on people smuggling amid quake carnage ISLAMABAD, Nov 21 (AFP) - A leading aid agency Monday said it had warned Pakistan's government that young and female survivors of last month's devastating quake could fall prey to human traffickers and slave traders. Although the International Organisation of Migration (IOM) said there had been no confirmed reports of kidnappings in the wake of the October 8 tragedy, it had urged authorities to be on the alert. "We have had a meeting with the Ministry of the Interior to make sure that traffickers don't exploit the misery and despair and desperation of survivors of the earthquake and pick out the innocent boys, girls and women," IOM director general Brunson McKinley told reporters. The IOM fears that children made orphans by the quake -- which claimed more than 74,000 lives and left more than 3.5 million people homeless -- may be seen as rich pickings for smugglers who nab youngsters and sell them as slaves. They are also concerned that women widowed by the tragedy may be tempted out of desperation to sell youngsters or females into bondage or prostitution. IOM programme manager Mariam Khokhar said reports in the media of attempted kidnappings had been investigated by the government and found to have been unfounded.(Posted @ 18:28 PST)
600 tonnes relief goods delivered in affected areas in last 24 hours MUZAFFARABAD, Nov 21 (APP): Relief activities have been geared up in remote areas and over 600 tones of goods were delivered in during the last 24 hours, says an ISPR press release . These included 3,000 tents, 5,000 blankets and other necessary items. Relief work in remote parts of Neelam valley has been started by road and so far 50 truck-loads of relief supplies have been delivered . Some 700 temporary shelters have also been prepared.(Posted @ 18:08 PST)
Pakistan quake survivors prepared for winter, Australian officer says SYDNEY, Nov 21 (AFP) The commander of Australian troops providing aid to earthquake-devastated Pakistan played down fears Monday that the onset of winter could bring a second wave of deaths to the stricken region. As Australian Prime Minister John Howard headed for his first visit to Pakistan to discuss further quake relief aid, Australian Defense Force Colonel Andrew Sims said survivors were well prepared for the cold weather. "The people here are being well looked after -- they are getting shelter and food. I'm sure in anyone's view it is never enough, but they are surviving and getting support," Sims said in a television interview.(Posted @ 10:00 PST)
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