Prime Minister Imran Khan Monday expressed his sympathies with victim families of quake-hit areas of Azad Jammu and Kashmir and assured the AJK government of Pakistan government’s complete support in relief and rehabilitation efforts. The prime minister assured the Government of Pakistan’s full support in extending complete package for the quake-hit areas.
He expressed these views during a detailed briefing, given to him about the
losses, relief and rehabilitation efforts in the aftermath of the recent 5.8 magnitude earthquake on September 24, which badly affected parts of Mirpur, Azad Jammu and Kashmir and adjoining Jhelum District. The prime minister also expressed the resolve for making all possible efforts to generate funds for the relief package. “Kashmiris are our own people,” he said, adding that they would do whatever they could to help them in these hard times.
He said that he was much grieved over the tragedy during his stay in New York. AJK Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider expressed his gratitude to Imran Khan for effectively highlighting the Kashmir issue at the United Nations General Assembly session and said that he had raised the voice of Kashmiris at the global forum. He said the AJK government had learnt a lot from the 2005’s devastating quake and was making all possible efforts for the relief and rehabilitation activities and requested for financial support.
Foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Minister for Kashmir Affairs Ali Amin Gandapur, National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) Chairman Lt Gen Muhammad Afzal and former AJK president and also president Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Kashmir Barrister Sultan Mahood were present on the occasion.
The prime minister also visited Mirpur Divisional Headquarters (DHQ) Hospital to inquire after those injured in the September 24 earthquake that jolted Mirpur city and adjoining areas. The prime minister took round of the hospital and sympathised with the victims of the catastrophe, assuring optimum healthcare facilities for their early recovery.
AJK Health Minister Dr Najeeb Naqi, Director General Health Dr Sardar Aftab Ahmed, Medical Superintendent of DHQ Hospital Dr Fida Noor, District Health Officer Dr Fida Hussain, PMA President Dr Raja Ijaz Ahmed and other senior officials apprised the prime minister of medical facilities, being provided to the quake-hit patients in the hospital.
The prime minister also attended a presentation at the Quaid-i-Azam International Sports Stadium, held by the National Disaster Management Authority and the AJK government. He was briefed, with the help of charts and maps, about the relief and rescue operations, conducted by the Pakistan and AJK governments in the quake-affected areas. He was also apprised about the material losses, caused to thousands of private and public buildings in the Mirpur city and adjoining areas.
According to Divisional Commissioner Chaudhry Tayyab, the number of the people with serious and minor injuries was 172 and 680, respectively, in Mirpur district. Of the seriously injured persons, 27 were still being treated at Divisional Headquarters Hospital and three in the Combined Military Hospital, Mangla, while the rest had been discharged, he said.
Mirpur district suffered the most damage from the 5.6 magnitude earthquake, that rocked parts of Punjab as well as some of the country’s northern areas on September 24. About 40 people died, 38 of whom belonged to the Mirpur district, Tayyab had said.
Earlier, Prime Minister Imran Khan was received at the helipad by the AJK prime minister, health minister and senior officials of government and Mirpur Division administration, including Commissioner Ch Tayyeb, DIG police Mirpur Sardar Gulfraz Khan, SSP Raja Irfan Saleem, DC Tahir Mumtaz Raja, Additional Secretary AJK Masood ur Rehman, SPs including Raja Azhar Iqbal and Raja Akmal Khan, senior MDA Official Mirza Kaleem Jiraal and others.
