PESHAWAR/DUBAI: Pakistan cricket legend Shahid Afridi paid a visit to the victims who survived yesterday's deadly earthquake at Peshawar's Lady Reading Hospital Tuesday.
The cricket superstar talked to traumatised patients at the hospital and inquired about their health. He also handed cheques to the victims.
Afiridi's charity organisation — the Shahid Afridi Foundation (SAF) — announced a donation of Rs5 million for the survivors of the earthquake, said a post on the veteran cricketer's official Facebook page.
SAF regularly donates relief goods and money to people affected by calamities and contributes to the education and healthcare sectors.
Also read: Afridi visits Dar-ul-Sukun
At least 231 people were confirmed dead in the aftermath of a massive 7.5 magnitude earthquake which hit northern Afghanistan and Pakistan on Monday.
According to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), at least 185 people died in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa alone, with 1,456 people sustaining injuries.
All players will take part in earthquake relief effort: Misbah
Shocked Pakistan cricketers pledged their support to the relief effort in the wake of the massive earthquake on Monday that left more than 200 people dead in the country.
The Pakistan team said they did not celebrate their win against England in the second Test in Dubai on Monday after hearing news of the disaster, with manager Intikhab Alam confirming they were in a state of shock.
“Our hearts are with the suffering families and players intend to do relief work once they return home,” Intikhab told AFP after the 178-run win.
Captain Misbah-ul-Haq added: “We are badly hurt by the news of the earthquake and send our heartfelt condolences to families who lost their dear ones.”
“The news pushed our win against England to one side and every player was shocked and wants to contribute towards the relief work.”
The the worst-affected areas in both Afghanistan and Pakistan are remote and mountainous, while limited infrastructure and communication lines have been severely damaged, hampering efforts to reach survivors and assess the full scale of the disaster.
“It's a big disaster for our beloved nation,” said senior batsman Younis Khan, who scored a century in the second Test as Pakistan took a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
“All the players are with the suffering families and once I go back I will definitely take part in the relief work as its our duty to help our brothers and sisters,” said Younis, who hails from the north-west Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, an area badly hit by the quake.
