India to airlift 25 tonnes relief goods
From Meerza Iqbal Baig

NEW DELHI—India Monday announced that the first consignment of 25 tonnes of emergency relief supplies for quake-hit areas of Pakistan will be airlifted Tuesday. It also offered to help in badly-affected places along the Line of Control on the Pakistani side, which are easier to access from the Indian end. Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran had a meeting with Pakistan High Commissioner Aziz Ahmad Khan who later met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and apprised him of the devastation caused by the killer tremblor. Describing it as a "great humanitarian crisis", the prime minister said, "Our hearts go out to the people of entire villages and communities which have been devastated by this natural disaster”. Dr Singh directed that a consignment of relief supplies including tents, plastic sheets, blankets, mattresses, food items and a variety of medicines and medical supplies be put together on an urgent basis and delivered to Pakistan at the earliest, Saran said at a press briefing in New Delhi. "The concerned agencies are already at work in organising an airlift of these items by Tuesday evening subject to clearances being obtained," he said. Asked whether India has offered its assistance in areas along the LOC on the Pakistani side which have been completely cut off from the Pakistani end, but can be reached from the Indian side, he replied in the affirmative. "If they can tell us locations of these areas where they would like us to provide relief supplies across the LOC and even send across medical personnel, we would be very happy to organise that," he said.
Pakistan said Monday it will accept relief aid for earthquake victims from its India. India's Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran said his country would send tents, food, blankets and medicine to the hard-hit Pakistani portion of Kashmir. The announcement came after Pakistani Foreign Ministry said Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh telephoned Pakistan's high commissioner in New Delhi and "reiterated his offer to send relief aid to us for earthquake victims”. High Commissioner Aziz Ahmed Khan met Singh and then contacted the government in Islamabad, which decided to accept the Indian offer after consultations at the highest level, Pakistani Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Tasnim Aslam said. Earlier Monday, India said Pakistan turned down its offer of helicopters for rescue operations, saying it had enough at the moment. Pakistan alsoruled out launching joint rescue operations with India for earthquake victims in Kashmir. Pakistan and India have a long history of bitter relations, particularly over Kashmir the focus of two of their three wars. However, the two sides have taken several steps since last year to improve relations. Soon after Saturday's earthquake, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had called Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf and offered humanitarian help. Musharraf also made a similar offer for the victims of the quake in the Indian portion of Kashmir where more than 800 people died.
Online adds: Pakistan has said that it has not received the specific offer regarding rescue and relief operations including financial assistance from Israel and therefore was not considering on that point, it was informed by Foreign Office spokeswoman Tasneem Aslam during the weekly press briefing here on Monday.
She said that Pakistan had experienced the worst tragedy in the form of earthquake and appealed to the world community for the rescue and relief operation teams and financial assistance within the six hours of the tragedy. “The response of the world community was quick and we have received many rescue teams and financial assistance that have arrived in Pakistan for the rehabilitation of the bereaved families,” she added. Responding to a question regarding assistance from Israel, she said that Pakistan had not received the specific offer on Israel side and therefore, Pakistan was not considering about it.