October 05, 2006	Thursday	Ramazan 11, 1427

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ISLAMABAD, Oct 4: Several United States Chinooks have returned to Pakistan on the occasion of the first anniversary of the devastating earthquake of last year.

This is manifesting the continued US commitment to help Pakistan recover from the earthquake that rattled parts of the country last year, says a statement.

In coordination with the Pakistani armed forces and Erra, the CH-47 aircraft would be here over the next week to help deliver reconstruction material, including up to 10,000 corrugated iron sheets, for individual homes in remote parts of the Allai and Khagan Valleys.

Last year, the first Chinook arrived from Afghanistan within 48 hours of the earthquake, leading the immediate response of the United States and the international community.

At the height of disaster relief operations, the US Army provided 21 Chinooks. They delivered 14,000 tons of relief supplies and evacuated more than 3,000 casualties.

Due to their fast and effective response, many people in the affected areas came to call the Chinooks ‘angels of mercy.’ At its conclusion in March, the total US military effort in relief assistance was longer and larger than any other such effort undertaken by the US military since the Berlin Airlift.

When President Bush and President Musharraf met at the White House on September 22, they reviewed the earthquake recovery effort and the human cost of the quake to the people of Pakistan.

Many members of the Chinook flight and maintenance crew who flew earthquake relief missions last year have returned with the Chinooks for the reconstruction support missions, further demonstrating American commitment and concern for others.

The US has continued its effort as Pakistan’s needs have shifted from disaster relief to reconstruction. The United States, through USAID, has pledged $206 million over the next four years in earthquake reconstruction assistance to Pakistan.

This is in addition to $1.5 billion programme that USAID will provide to Pakistan over the next five years to improve education, health, governance and economic growth.