130,000 affected from quake in Jehlum, Neelam Vallies
By Adnan Rafique

ISLAMABAD—The Federal Relief Commissioner, Maj. Gen. Farooq Ahmed said on Monday that at least 100,000 in Jehlum and 30,000 in Neelam vallies were affected respectively from the South Asia’s worst earthquake. The land transport routes in the areas damaged by the quake would be repaired within at least three-four years, told Mr Ahmed.
While speaking to news briefing here the commissioner told that relief operations through aerial routes stopped temporarily due to Sunday’s rains have resumed again for the quake hit areas. “Access to all the affected for delivering relief aid has not been possible as yet while efforts for it are been made”, said Farooq Ahmed. “22.7 kilometers Balakot-Kaghan land route has been cleareed and opened for traffic”, he informed. He told that further advanced foreign engineers backed by modern machinery were arriving Pakistan to join relief work in the quake zone.
Pakistan Monday made a fresh appeal for more tents and blankets while seeking fully equipped medical trauma teams to treat over 65,000 badly injured people still arriving from the quake affected areas. Major General Farooq Ahmed Khan, the recently appointed Federal Relief Commissioner said medical and trauma teams with orthopaedic surgeons, volunteer doctors and para medic staff along with, X-rays, CT Scan and other related equipment were urgently required. He said the government has identified all areas affected by the 7.6 intensity earthquake on Oct 8, however he said it was difficult to say when relief could reach all the inaccessible areas.
Briefing the newsmen about the relief operations the Federal Relief Commissioner said the death toll may be revised from that of 39,422 as more bodies were being pulled out from the rubble. About the figure of 53,000 deaths as stated by the Prime Minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, he said the figures were estimates adding “we do not contest anyone’s words”.
When asked about a figure for the missing, he said it would be a “heart-wrenching decision” as the tragedy was far greater than the tsunami. About the restoration of roads blocked by several landslides in Azad Kashmir, he said both the Neelum and Jhelum valley roads would require “concerted” efforts of around four weeks to fully operationalise. However, he added, mules, air drops by C-130s and helicopters were continuing in the affected areas.
Major General Farooq said engineering teams along with heavy equipment from friendly countries were arriving in the country. These would be utilised to fully restore the Neelum valley road. The Relief Commissioner said Pakistan still required an estimated 260,000 tents and two million blankets for the people made homeless by the earthquake.
He said around 33,000 tents and 133,000 blankets have been distributed, while 40,000 were in the pipeline. These, he said have been purchased by the government from abroad or are part of the donations from friendly countries. General Farooq said 6000 tents a day would soon be available from 37 factories in Punjab.
He said the funds in President’s Relief Fund have risen to Rs four billion, while foreign assistance has gone up to 528.2 million US dollars, besides 51 million dollars by the United Nations. Major General Farooq said owing to bad weather on Saturday and Sunday were few helicopter flights could operate but on Monday the evacuation of the injured began again and 1200 sorties have so far been made.
About the concern shown by the people from across the country about the unaccompanied children, he said all hospitals have been directed to photograph all such children and to acquire their details and to keep them protected. He said the Punjab government has offered 5000 beds in its hospitals at Lahore, Faisalabad and Multan and the injured would be shifted through C-130 aircraft and trains for those who can travel. He said 780 more beds were now available in Islamabad and around, while the Cantonment General Hospital in Rawalpindi was also being fully utilised.