Disaster could claim over 25,000 lives, says Govt
Cabinet decides to expedite relief operation - Premier increases relief package to Rs 5bn
By Uzma Zafar

ISLAMABAD—Frantic rescue efforts continue as the death toll of Pakistan’s massive earthquake tops 19,000. There are reports the number of death toll could pass 25,000.
Interior Minister, Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao had said the country’s death toll was 19,136 — 17,388 of them in Jammu Kashmir — and 42,397 were injured.
The worst-hit city was Pakistani Kashmir’s capital, Muzaffarabad, where 11,000 died, Sherpao said.
The quake, centered in Kashmir, flattened dozens of villages. It killed farmers, homemakers, soldiers and schoolchildren, and triggered landslides that blocked rescuers from many areas where bodies lay in streets and villagers said they felt forsaken.
Two survivors were pulled Sunday from a destroyed apartment building in Pakistan’s capital, Islamabad. ``We are handling the worst disaster in Pakistan’s history,’’ said Maj. Gen. Shaukat Sultan, Pakistan’s military spokesman.
The quake and its aftershocks were felt from central Afghanistan to western Bangladesh. Buildings were wrecked in an area spanning at least 400 kilometers (250 miles), from Jalalabad in Afghanistan to Srinagar in northern Indian territory.
Offers came from across the globe, with China and Japan sending emergency-response teams and Australia pledging 500,000 Australian dollars (US$387,673; euro312,580). The United States earlier offered US$100,000 (euro82,898), and the U.N. sent a team to coordinate disaster response.
Pakistani military helicopters ferried troops and supplies to some areas, but there was no sign of government help in Balakot, a northern town of 30,000 where the quake leveled the main bazaar, crushing shoppers and sending gas cylinders, bricks, tomatoes and onions spilling into the streets.
Federal Government Sunday decided to expedite the relief operation to help earthquake victims and increased the assistance relief from Rs. one billion to five billion.
It was decided at a special and emergency meeting of the federal cabinet presided over by Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz here at Prime Minister House.
Later, briefing newsmen about the decisions of the emergency cabinet meeting, the Prime Minister said country would observe three day mourning to express solidarity with the people who had lost their relatives in this worst natural disaster.
The Prime Minister said so far the death toll in the earthquake had crossed the figure of 18,000 and added it could rise after confirmation of reports from far-flung areas.
Shaukat Aziz said Azad Kashmir, Hazara Division and adjoining areas are the worst damage areas by the earthquake.
The Prime Minister said the emergency meeting of the federal cabinet reviewed the relief and assistance operation. He said the cabinet also decided that government would pay Rs. 100,000 for the loss of each person to the families of those who lost their lives.
The federal cabinet also decided to utilise all resources to help the affectees and repair of the infrastructure.
The Prime Minister also thanked the internal and external assistance being received by the government for the help of earthquake victims.
Shaukat Aziz said the federal cabinet will meet daily to review the relief operation and added that ministers had been assigned special duties to monitor and supervise the relief operation in different areas.
He said there would be complete cooperation and coordination among the federal government, various agencies and provincial governments in the relief operation including AJK and NWFP government.
The Prime Minister said special measures are being taken for the transportation of injured to hospitals from the affected areas to provide them best possible treatment.
Prime Minister Aziz described the situation very serious and said a massive relief and rescue operation involving army, police and other civil agencies has been mounted in the affected areas.
He said Pakistan government would welcome assistance from friends.
He also appealed to the nation to donate generously for the help of the affectees and asked the people to deposit their donations in the President’s Relief Fund.
The federal cabinet expressed sorrow and grief on the loss of human lives in the earthquake and prayed for the departed souls.