ISLAMABAD, Oct 23: World community and friendly countries, including China and Japan, have pledged more aid for the relief and rehabilitation of the affected people of earthquake in northern Pakistan and Azad Kashmir, press releases from various embassies and messages received here from abroad on Sunday said.

CHINA: As an all-weather friend of Pakistan, China has been extending timely and continuous relief aid to Pakistan since the catastrophic earthquake that hit Pakistan on October 8.

China is considering to increase relief assistance for earthquake affected people. China has donated cash, blankets, tents and mini-size generators.

By October 21 the total value of Chinese relief contribution (in cash and kind) has surpassed $10 million and more relief efforts are under way, a Chinese embassy press release said here today.

A $6.2-million-aid package — $1 million in cash and $5.2 million in kind — has been delivered and fully implemented. Nine cargo planes delivered consignments of relief goods comprising 25,000 blankets, 2,310 tents, 7,350 cotton-padded mattresses, 23,980 towel coverlets, 38,000 bed-sheets, 1,312 generators, 1,272 emergency lamps, 6,400 buckets, 12 water purifiers, 20,000 gallons of purified water, as well as 46 tons of medicine and medical equipments.

The Chinese Ministry of Defence donated $100,000 in cash to its Pakistani counterpart. In view of the shortage of tents and warm beddings in the earthquake-hit areas, the Chinese government is going to send more tents, blankets and other beddings.

The Red Cross Society of China donated to its Pakistani counterpart $100,000 in cash. The Red Cross Society also sent a chartered plane on October 18 with over 80 tons of relief goods worth $405,000, comprising 170 tents, 21,040 blankets, 8,020 sleeping bags, 18,290 towel coverlets and 100 walki-talki sets.

Chinese Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CAFFC) donated $10,000 to President’s Relief Fund. Chinese company Norinco donated $300,000 to the President’s Relief Fund. Chinese company Huawei also donated $300,000 to the President Relief Fund and pledged to donate equipment worth of $3 million for earthquake relief and reconstruction.

All-China Women’s Federation pledged $62,000 in kind. On Oct 18, Chinese Ambassador Zhang Chunxiang, handed over Rs7.02 million and $2,055 of donation collected by diplomats of Chinese embassy in Islamabad and staff of Chinese companies based in Pakistan to Riaz Muhammad Khan, Foreign Secretary of Pakistan.

As the first team to enter the town of Balakot, it succeeded in saving three Pakistani victims and offered medical treatment for 591 local people. Entrusted by the UN relief coordination centre at Muzaffarabad, the Chinese team served as a UN sub- coordinator at Balakot with the cooperation of teams from UAE, Germany, Switzerland, Jordan, WHO etc.

China is willing to help Pakistan in field of seismology including monitoring and handling of earthquake disaster, said Chen Jianmin, a senior official of China Earthquake Administration said.

He said China and Pakistan can set up seismographic network, a system of seismographs, data processing and data transmission. China can give instruments, technical support, training and studies to this effect, he added.

The sources said a Chinese rescue team spent 11 days in Pakistan and actively participated in search and rescue operation in earthquake-hit areas.

The 49-member team recovered three survivors from quake rubble and treated 591 wounded villagers in and around Balakot. The Chinese team was one of the only two international rescue teams that have rescued survivors alive in Balakot, said Zhoa, Director of China Seismological Bureau.