Turkish PM urges World to be generous to quake victims
Staff Report

MUZAFFARABAD—The Turkish Prime Minister Friday urged the world to be more sensitive to the needs of distressed people of Pakistan by being more generous.
“We have to ask how much the world has put aside for this disaster in Pakistan. We have to open our hands,” Turkish Prime Minister Tayyib Recep Erdogan told newsmen at the AJK capital, after overflying the devastated towns of Balakot, Muzaffarabad and Bagh, along with Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz.
He said the world should put together resources for such disasters. He said it was a humanitarian duty to help the people of Pakistan in their rehabilitation and reconstruction of the quake affected areas.
He pointed that by the end of 2004 globally one trillion US dollars were spent on weapons alone.
He said “today it is Pakistan, tomorrow it can be somewhere else. We have lived through this in our own country, we have seen the same problems there as well, there have been just words and then you are on your own”.
The Turkish Prime Minister said the world should not stop with extending the initial help.
“We have to focus on medium and long term for infrastructure to housing of the millions who lost their everything”.
The Turkish Prime Minister, who is the first foreign dignitary to have visited the quake affected areas said, he was here to express solidarity with the people of Pakistan.
“We feel the pain of the people of Pakistan. We cannot leave our Pakistani bothers alone. We will do whatever we can and we are doing it”.
Erdogan flew in Pakistan on Thursday to extend his country’s support following the devastating earthquake of Oct 8 which according to official estimates has claimed over 50,000 lives, around 70,000 injured and rendered 3.3 million homeless.
Turkey would provide assistance worth 150 million US dollars to Pakistan, including 100 million dollars in cash. It would also send one million blankets, with the first shipment arriving by Sunday.
The Turkish Prime Minister said his country has experiences with earthquake and even today aftershocks were felt in Izmir, after a 5.9 magnitude earthquake struck Thursday.
He said Turkey would extend its assistance to Pakistan in construction of safer infrastructure, which can cope with such disasters.
Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz said Turkey was a great friend of Pakistan and the visit of Turkish Prime Minister during this critical juncture was its proof.
He said Turkey will help Pakistan in reconstruction and rehabilitation efforts as it has lots of experience in dealing with such disasters.
“With friends like Turkey, Pakistan will effectively come out of this difficult phase and added Long Live Pak-Turk friendship”.
Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz was also appreciative of the great spirit of unity and solidarity shown by the people from across the country after the earthquake.
“Together the people of Pakistan can surmount all such difficulties,” he added.
He said the relief and rescue phase was going on satisfactorily and said the integrated approach of the civil society, politicians, NGOs and the army were working together in a coordinated manner.
He said teams from 32 countries were working hard to provide relief to the people.
Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz said it was the responsibility of the government to rehabilitate the people affected by the earthquake.
“We will never leave our Kashmiri brothers and sisters alone. The people of Pakistan realise the sacrifices they have rendered and will stand by them in the hour of need”.
He said Pakistan stands by its position on the Kashmir issue and desires a solution in accordance with the aspirations of the people of Kashmir.
He said donations were being collected by ordinary people in every city of Turkey.
“I was informed by the Turkish Prime Minister that on his appeal the entire nation has come forward to help their Pakistani brethren”.
To a question about progress on President Musharraf’s suggestion to allow Kashmiris from across the Line of Control to help their quake affected people in AJK, he said “progress can only be made once the modalities are worked out”.
The Turkish and the Pakistan Prime Ministers were briefed by the General Officers Commanding at Muzaffarabad and Bagh about the relief and rescue operations.
They were informed that all the major roads had been opened and the adjoining roads in inaccessible areas were being opened up gradually.
GOC Muzaffarabad Major General Khalid Nawaz said 0.6 million people have been affected in Muzaffarabad. The number of houses destroyed or badly damaged by the earthquake in Tehsil Muzaffarabad is estimated to be around 85,000.
The Muzaffarabad city has been divided in 13 sectors to clear the rubble and recover dead bodies. A number of field hospitals have been set up to cater to the large number of injured.
Prime Minister Erdogan and Prime Minister Aziz later visited a field hospital set up by the Turkish Red Crescent.
Salahuddin Durme, the Chief Coordinator briefed them about the working of the hospital, which with the help of local volunteers was conducting surgical operations and providing medical treatment to the seriously injured.
GOC Major General Qasim Qureshi said 0.4 million people were affected in Bagh and Rawalakot and vast area had damage of up to 70 per cent in Bagh, while most area in Rawalakot suffered up to 50 per cent damage. Around 40,000 houses were destroyed or badly damaged in the area.