ATTOCK, April 7: Cherie Blair, the wife of British Prime Minister Tony Blair, visited on Friday Ashiana, a tent village for earthquake survivors at Ghazi-Barotha Colony in Hattian, some 25km from here. Begum Sehba Musharraf accompanied her.
Officials of the social welfare ministry and Baitul Mal informed her that initially 1,000 displaced women and orphans had been accommodated in the village.
A vocational centre with necessary facilities and equipment had been set up to provide handicraft training to women.
Mrs Blair appreciated the relief and rehabilitation work for quake victims.
Later, she visited the residential area, hospital, school, vocational centre and other areas of Ashiana and met children and women.
She remained with them for some time, talked to them and offered sympathy.
APP adds: Earlier, Mrs Blair called on Begum Sehba Musharraf at the Aiwan-i-Sadr.
During the meeting, Begum Musharraf thanked the British government for extending timely assistance.
She appreciated the services rendered by the British rescue teams, doctors, NGOs and humanitarian organisations.
Mrs Blair, as Patron of Breast Cancer Care, is visiting Pakistan at the invitation of Begum Sehba.
During her visit from April 7 to 13, she will attend fund-raising and awareness-creating events for Breast Cancer Care.
In addition to meeting women affected by breast cancer, she would meet oncologists, surgeons, and health visitors, the foreign office said.
Mrs Blair will also meet women lawyers and other professionals during her stay.
She will also travel to quake-affected areas.
She has supported events held in the UK for raising money for reconstruction of the devsatated areas.
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