LAHORE, Oct 11: There is no dearth of relief goods. What is lacking is means to transport them to quake-affected people. Those calling from the devastated areas of the AJK, especially Bagh and Rawlakot, to their relatives and friends in Pakistan complain that the pace of relief supplies was too inadequate compared to the devastation.

Keeping in view the situation in the mountainous region, Prof M.A. Hijazi of the Punjab University urged President Musharraf to urgently borrow helicopters.

He said Russian help could be sought as it had a large fleet of choppers meant for cargo operations.

He said the closure of roads and rain was hampering relief operation. “The government should not wait for routes to open and weather to clear. It should move swiftly to borrow choppers from any country it can,” Hijazi appealed.

He said the calls he received from Bagh spoke of devastation beyond imagination. “It will take a vehicle eight to 10 hours to carry food to starving Kashmiris in Bagh whereas a helicopter will hardly take 30 minutes.”

He said the chopper operation costs could also be met through donations. “I am ready to bear the cost of a chopper operation for 10 days,” the professor said, pleading that the government should not hesitate in giving another call (this time for helicopters) to the international community.

Hijazi said all relief goods could be diverted to earmarked spaces in Islamabad for airlifting them to affected areas.

About the needs of the rescue and medical teams, Hijazi said they required small power generators and mobile X-ray units.—IA