PESHAWAR, Nov 9: The Kuwait-based Marafie Foundation has handed over medicines worth more than Rs 40 million to the Relief Commission of the NWFP for distribution among the earthquake affected people of the northern districts of the province.

The medicines were donated by an American NGO Freedom and Peace Trust to the Marafie Foundation and on Wednesday its Pakistan’s managing trustee Afzal Ali Shigri handed over the consignment to officials of Relief Commission at Peshawar international airport.

This is the first time that the Freedom and Peace Trust has donated medicines to an area other than Iraq, Mr Shigri, former inspector-general of the NWFP police, told reporters on the occasion.

He said that a large portion of the medicine aid was meant for severe mental health needs among the quake-affected people.

The Marafie Foundation, in collaboration with the Freedom Peace Trust, had also approved a $100,000 plan to establish a hospital in the province and work on the project will start soon, Mr Shigri pledged.

He maintained that they had already set up a medical camp in Muzaffarabad and had distributed relief goods worth Rs two million.

The rehabilitation of the quake affected people and rebuilding of the cities, town and villages would take many years and for that purpose they had several long-term plans in collaboration with the foreign donors.

Meanwhile, the handing over of pharmaceutical shipment to the Relief Commission of NWFP was delayed as the newly-appointed Relief Commissioner Fazle Rabbi did not come to the PIA cargo in time to receive the medicines. After three hours delay, two officials received the medicines.

MEDICAL CAMP: The Peshawar-based NGO International Friends of Humanity (IFOH) has treated hundreds of patients in Balakot since Eidul Fitr, said Dr Faud Khan, who is leading a 14- member medical team.