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Both domestic and international relief efforts were being stepped up in Pakistan and India five days after a 7.6 magnitude earthquake rocked the two south Asian neighbors and caused a combined death toll of over 26,000 so far.
On Thursday, Pakistan's military sources confirmed more than 25,000 deaths and some 63,000 injuries from last Saturday's major quake which had its epicenter at the Pakistan-controlled Kashmir. India added no new death figures to its formerly announced 1,300 on Thursday.
In Pakistan, people from all walks of life are giving generous financial assistance to survivors in the country's northern mountains.
The Pakistan Judiciary including judges and staff of Courts have decided to contribute one-day salary towards the President Relief Fund, which was set up to assist earthquake victims. And the Warid Pakistan and Warid International, while donating 120 million rupees (about US$60 million US), also announced Thursday its employees will contribute at least one-day salary for the cause.
Meanwhile, as many as 100 Express Wagons of Pakistan Railways carrying tons of relief goods, donated by the people of Sindh province for the victims of earthquake, will also arrive at Rawalpindi Railway Station on Friday.
People belonging to all segments of the society are playing exemplary role in relief activities in the quake-stricken areas, said President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain of Pakistan Muslim League.
In India, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Thursday also called on people in the rest of the country to generously donate for the victims of earthquake-hit areas.
"I am sure Indian civil society will step forward and contribute to the relief and rehabilitation effort. I appeal to every concerned citizen of our republic to donate generously to the prime minister's national relief fund to help us help those in need," Singh said.
The Indian central government, promising to give 6.42 billion rupees (US$148 million) as relief fund to earthquake victims, pledged Thursday to give all cooperation and assistance to India-controlled Kashmir government to provide relief and enable rehabilitation.
In addition to domestic efforts, more aid and relief from the international community also arrived in Pakistan Thursday.
The Chinese government, which has pledged immediately after the earthquake US$6.2 million of humanitarian aid to Pakistan and dispatched a 49-member rescue team to quake-hit areas, on Thursday donated US$1 million in cash to the country. The Red Cross Society of China also handed over a cheque of US$100,000 to Pakistan Red Crescent Society.
The Thai government, which has pledged US$100,000 in assistance to Pakistan, announced Thursday it will extend its aid by delivering more relief supplies with an air force C-130 which will take off late Thursday carrying medicine, food, tents and blankets.
Meanwhile, according to NDTV, India will send the second consignment of relief material to Pakistan. About 82 tons of relief supplies like blankets and tents will be sent from Delhi to Wagah border in Punjab Pradesh.
On Thursday, the UN Refugee Agency also started airlifting to the Muzaffarabad area of Pakistan-controlled Kashmir to rescue injured earthquake victims and deliver relief items, a UNHCR statement said.
The UN Refugee Agency is planning airlifts with essential relief items such as blankets, plastic sheets, jerry cans, kitchen sets and tents from its stockpiles in Turkey, Jordan, Dubai and Copenhagen. In addition, from neighboring Afghanistan, blankets, plastic sheets, tents and jerry cans are scheduled to be trucked to affected areas where the needs are enormous.
"The sheer scale of destruction was dumbfounding. We really need to reach inaccessible areas. And we must ensure a continued commitment to assist people to keep the aid coming in a sustainable way," said UNHCR Assistant Representative in Pakistan, Indrika Ratwatte.
(Xinhua News Agency October 14, 2005)
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