World leaders assure quake aid
By Our Special Correspondent

ISLAMABAD—King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz Tuesday assured President General Pervez Musharraf of full support and solidarity of Saudi Arabia in Pakistan’s gigantic reconstruction and rehabilitation efforts in earthquake-ravaged areas.
In a telephonic conversation, King Abdullah said Saudi Arabia would participate in November 19 donors’ conference in the capital and help Pakistan in all ways to rebuild devastated infrastructure in NWFP and Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
“Saudi Arabia is fully supportive of Pakistan’s initiatives for reconstruction and rehabilitation in the quake-hit areas — the Saudi people will continue to help Pakistan in the immense task,” he said.
President Musharraf expressed his gratitude to the Saudi leadership, royal family and the Saudi people for their concern and generous response for relief effort in the quake-hit areas.
The leaders of Thailand and several other nations have called President General Pervez Musharraf to inform him they will be sending delegations to a post-earthquake international donors’ conference, scheduled for Saturday in Islamabad.
Prime Ministers of Japan, Thailand and Italy and the Amir of Qatar separately called the President and told him that their delegations will attend the conference. French President Jacques Chirac had confirmed on Monday his country would send a delegation to the conference.
President Musharraf is to unveil a reconstruction plan at the conference and launch a sponsorship scheme that aims to invite philanthropists and well-to-do people to sponsor a school, college or a hospital in the areas affected by the Oct 8 earthquake.
The quake killed some 86,000 people, injured another 100,000 and caused destruction over a wide area.
According to an initial draft of needs and damage assessment report of the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank (ADB), country will require more than $5 billion dollars for reconstruction and rehabilitation of the quake-ravaged areas.
However, the country has so far received some $9.5 million in cash against the total pledges of over $2 billion made by the international community after the quake, which left four million people homeless.