PM approves Rs500m for quake survivors
Staff Report

ISLAMABAD—Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz has released another 500 million rupees for provision of financial assistance to earthquake affected people for immediate reconstruction of their houses.
The Prime Minister, who visited injured people at KRL Hospital and SAHR (Society for Advancement of Human Rights) Medical Camp in Islamabad Wednesday night, later told newsmen that twenty-five thousand rupees are being provided especially to those who are not willing to come down from high altitude areas.
He said the affected people are happy with the new scheme as it fulfils their immediate requirements. They can buy cement and other necessary items with this amount while army engineers and volunteers have fanned out in the area to assist them carry out reconstruction of houses.
The Prime Minister said the relief and rehabilitation phases would go side by side. During relief period, the affected people would be provided food and medical facilities. They are also being provided shelter through temporary housing. A number of tent villages have already been established to accommodate the shelterless people.
Mr. Shaukat Aziz said Iran is sending ten thousand more tents which have already reached in the border city of Zahidan.
He said on the occasion of donors conference on 19th of this month, a sponsorship programme would also be announced affording opportunity tophilanthropist to sponsor houses, schools, hospitals and roads.
The Prime Minister said in view of the large-scale damage, billions of rupees and a long period would be required to carry out the task of reconstruction and rehabilitation. He said the international community is providing assistance but it would have to be increased substantially to meet our requirements.
Mr. Shaukat Aziz said Pakistan in close collaboration of the multilateral institutions is engaged in the process of surveying of the damage and hoped that the assessment would be available well before the conference. He was confident that donors would come out with pledges and indicative amount of assistance on the occasion.
The Prime Minister said a National Programme for Psychological Services for Earthquake Affectees has been launched for treatment of trauma and shock. Under this programme trauma canters one each in Islamabad, Muzaffarabad and Mansehra would be set up. Teams would also visit affected area to provide treatment to the people.
The Prime Minister appealed to the nation to observe Eidul Fitr with simplicity in view of the great tragedy. He urged people to save Eid expenditure and contribute the amount in the President’s relief fund.
Mr. Shaukat Aziz said he himself and members of the cabinet would spend Eid with patients and affected people.
During visit to KRL Hospital and SAHR Medical Camp in G-9, the Prime Minister distributed ten thousand rupees each among the injured people for their expenses. In all, about four hundred injured were brought to KRL Hospital. The hospital carried out 435 major operations and presently there are 88 patients undergoing treatment there.
At SAHR Medical Camp, 194 patients were brought, and 81 of them are still getting treatment there.