LAHORE, Nov 8: Canadian Parliament Member Jim Kerry Jiannes has called upon the world community to move for the rescue of quake victims immediately as there is a possibility of more deaths in case of delay.

At a news conference at the Lahore Press Club after return from a three-day visit to Muzaffarabad and other affected areas on Tuesday, the Canadian MP said time was running out for over three million people waiting for food and shelter. He said some 75,000 lives had already been lost as a result of the quake, and there was a possibility of more deaths in case of further delay on the part of the world to act.

He said massive relief operations were needed in the quake-hit areas where temperature was likely to fall 10 to 20 degrees Celsius below zero, and people were not ready to leave their homes. They needed help to rebuild their homes as tents could not protect them from the severity of extremely cold weather, he said.

He said there was a need for per capita aid commitment on the part of donor countries as immense resources were required to provide relief to the quake victims. He said the world should not wait for coming forward for assistance in rescue of quake victims after the postponement of the F-16s purchase and probability of a similar decision pertaining to a nuclear submarine deal by the Pakistan government.

He said Canada had already increased its aid commitment for the victims from $40 million to $57 million, and he would speak to the prime minister for an increase in it on return as billions of dollars were required for the rehabilitation work. He said 220 Canadian disaster relief team members and three Pakistan-born Canadians were engaged in relief operations in the affected areas.