TAXILA, Nov 6: The ministry for labour and manpower has offered to completely rehabilitate a town devastated by the October 8 earthquake. Federal Minister for Labour and Manpower Ghulam Sarwar Khan said under the offer, the ministry would bear all the expenses incurred on reconstruction of roads, schools, hospitals, etc. and provision of basic infrastructure facilities.

He was talking to reporters on Friday after distributing Eid gifts among quake victims admitted to POF Hospital Wah, HIT Hospital Taxila and the Tehsil Headquarters hospital.

The in charge of ministry’s relief and rehabilitation cell, Brig (retired) Farrukhuddin Anjum, was present on the occasion.

The minister said the government was making effective arrangements for permanent rehabilitation of the earthquake victims.

He said the ministry was also arranging artificial limbs as the earthquake had left a large number of people disabled.

Mr Khan said soon after the October 8 earthquake, the ministry allocated a sum of Rs20 million for relief and rehabilitation of the quake victims.

Giving details, he said Rs10 million was allocated for relief goods and Rs10 million for setting up relief camps.

He said the ministry had established relief camps in Bagh, Thakot and other affected areas where cooked food, medicines, blankets and other items were being provided.

The minister said in these camps, 8,500 food packs weighing 30kg each had also been distributed.

He said we would mobilize overseas Pakistanis to contribute to the government’s efforts for rehabilitation. So far, the overseas Pakistanis had done a commendable job by providing orthopaedic services, artificial limbs and trauma treatment, he added.

Replying to a question, he said all available tents in the country had been made available for the quake victims while other countries were also being asked to provide maximum number of tents before the start of winter.

Earlier, he visited earthquake victims admitted to the three hospitals in Taxila and Wah, and inquired about the medical facilities being provided to them.