ISLAMABAD, Nov 26: Federal Privatization and Investment Minister Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh said on Saturday that businessmen had provided more than Rs8.4 billion in humanitarian assistance for victims of last month’s devastating earthquake.

The federal minister said the assistance had been channelled through the cabinet committee on fund-raising from the business community. Dr Shaikh was speaking at a formal ceremony marking the handing over of a consignment of winterized tents for the earthquake victims of Azad Jammu and Kashmir and NWFP areas.

An official announcement said that Dr Georg Wachtel, general manager of OMV Pakistan, handed over a consignment of 20 winterized tents to Mr Shaikh for the quake victims. The tents are worth $2,000 apiece. Each tent is fitted with a heating stove and can accommodate eight persons.

OMV Austria has already dispatched 40 such tents to the affected areas in addition to cash contributions of $500,000 to the President’s Relief Fund, Dr Wachtel told the minister.

Dr Shaikh also said that most of the companies that had earlier made contributions in response to the cabinet committee’s appeal have further increased the value of their donations.

The minister appreciated the concern of OMV Austria for the quake-affected people. “This will certainly set a good example for timely and required assistance,” he said while reminding donors about the challenging conditions that survivors faced in the winter.