Punjab government has donated Rs 1.5 billion so far: chief minister

Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi has said the Punjab government has so far contributed Rs 1.50 billion for the quake victims. He stated this in a briefing to the press on provincial government's post-earthquake relief measures at Chief Minister House here on Sunday.
The chief minister said the provincial government in supplementing its medical operations would establish a hospital in Balakot area in a month, adding that a team of 70 doctors from the province was hectically involved in medical relief operations in quake-hit areas.
Talking of Azad Kashmir rebuilding and its administrative set-up, Pervaiz Elahi said the provincial government had helped the government in rebuilding that structure. Averring on PML-Q relief operations, he, who is also provincial party chief, said that they had established relief camps at Garhi Doopata.
Talking of establishing tent villages, Pervaiz Elahi said two of them would be made in Attock and Chakwal. Referring to his government priorities in relief, he said that disabled, orphans and then helping poor remained in preference order.
Speaking about helicopter services of provincial government, he said the helicopters had flown a large number of patients to medical centres. Speaking about availability of artificial limbs, the chief minister said the provincial government would hold a workshop at the Mayo Hospital on Monday, adding that a project in collaboration with British doctors for provision of artificial limbs would commence ahead of Eid.
The chief minister averring upon "Support Family Programme"
said that head office of this program would be in the CM House, where he would himself take care of its operations.
He said that offices of this program would be established also in Islamabad, Muzafarabad and one in Northern Area.
He appealed to journalists, poets and others to help in making this program successful. He said an encouraging response from US and European Pakistanis in this direction had been received, saying that there would be a proper audit of this program and a website established in this connection.
Pervaiz Elahi said that provincial government has made an offer to the federal government for taking responsibility of 500 orphan children, adding that 200 of these children could be placed in Lahore, 200 in Rawalpindi, and 100 in other places in the province.
The chief minister said there should be no politics in relief efforts and all the political parties in unison should dwell upon relief efforts in the best national interest.