Pakistan's envoy to London Dr Maleeha Lodhi has said supply of helicopters by the US and other friendly countries have helped Pakistani authorities take emergencies supplies to the quake-stricken mountainous areas.
Initially the landslides had cut off many parts of the far flung areas but later there were two enabling factors which worked to a great relief of the survivors, she said during her interviews with BCC News 24 and BBC Radio 4 on Wednesday.
"First we have many more helicopters than we did when we first started out so our airborne capabilities are much more greater. Secondly we are getting large cargo trucks up the mountains because of the restored road links," said the envoy.
With the supply of helicopters the country's airborne capabilities have been enhanced, she said.
The country is grappling with a colossal task of providing relief and emergency supplies to the affected people whose number runs into millions following the natural disaster which killed 23,000 and injured over fifty thousand people on Saturday.
Dr Lodhi said the constraining factor on Tuesday was the rain and the weather which temporarily suspended the emergency supplies going up. But that quickly restored once rain stopped.
Questioned on the announcement of an additional 10 million pounds by British Prime Minister, she said Pakistan greatly acknowledged the help that it was getting from Britain and also from other countries so far.
"A lot of our friends the international community have pledged 300 million dollars assistance to Pakistan. But obviously what we are telling the international community" was that much more was needed from it especially during the reconstruction phase to rehabilitate the victims.
At the moment it was a relief and recovery phase hence temporary shelter, tents, life saving drugs were required for an estimated three million displaced people. But the next phase of a gigantic task of reconstruction was going to be crucial hence urged the international community to continue its help to Pakistan.
Answering another question, she said, more and more places are being reached now in the earthquake hit areas because emergency supplies are getting through as we keep opening and restoring roads.
To another query she said, the country had never coped with such a situation following the natural calamity.
"So it is an unprecedented, unparalleled challenge we are dealing with here and we are trying our best. Our civil and military authorities have been at it round the clock" to get the emergency supplies to the victims.
In an interview with BBC Radio 4 she said as time went by the requirements to deal with the crisis would continue to change and the phase of reconstruction would have to be started soon.
Answering a question she said it was a difficult job to get supplies and relief in the mountainous terrain even in normal times. But the authorities had managed to restore most of the road links during last thirty six hours to allow food and shelter providing agencies reach these areas.
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