ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday announced Rs500,000 compensation money for each person killed in the recent earthquake in Azad Jammu & Kashmir (AJK) and Punjab.

According to the Prime Minister Office (PMO), Mr Khan made the announcement during his telephonic conversation with National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) chairman Lt Gen Mohammad Afzal who called the former.

PM Khan is presently in the United States to attend the UN General Assembly session.

The NDMA chief briefed the prime minister on the latest situation in Mirpur in the wake of Sept 24 earthquake and its aftershocks.

The prime minister was also apprised of the details of loss of lives, injuries and damage to properties in the affected areas of Mirpur and Bhimber districts in AJK and Jhelum district in Punjab.

PM Khan, while expressing grief over the loss of precious lives, damage to properties and suffering of affected people, directed the NDMA chairman to provide all necessary assistance to the earthquake victims and utilise all possible resources in this regard.

“In pursuance of the directives of the prime minister, a financial assistance amounting to Rs500,000 has been decided to be disbursed among families of the deceased while financial assistance to the injured and loss of property would be announced in due course of time,” an official press release issued by the PMO said.

The prime minister directed that financial assistance be provided on an urgent basis, particularly to the families of those who have lost lives due to the earthquake.

He further directed that the assessment of the losses be completed at the earliest to provide assistance to the affected people and restore and reconstruct communication links and services in the affected areas.

PM Khan expressed his desire to visit the affected areas to observe the losses and meet the affected people on the first available opportunity on his return to the country.

The NDMA has also decided to commemorate the National Resilience Day (October 8, 2005) in the affected areas to express solidarity with the earthquake-affected people.

According to the NDMA situation report, death toll from the devastating earthquake in southern AJK has increased to 38, with the most number of victims belonging to Mirpur district. Other victims belonged to Bhimber and Jhelum districts. More than 500 people are being treated for injuries at different hospitals in AJK, Rawalpindi and Islamabad.

Different survey teams from the NDMA, Punjab and local administrations are inspecting the quake-affected sites and making assessment of loss of properties.

Published in Dawn, September 28th, 2019