US Ambassador to Pakistan Ryan C. Crocker said on Sunday that United States government and people stood with the people of Pakistan to rebuild better life in quake hit areas. He was talking to PTV on the occasion of first anniversary of devastating earthquake of October 8.
The envoy said friends of Pakistan in US and around the world stood with Pakistan as the country strives to recover from the terrible effects of October 8.
He said "On October 8 Pakistan and Pakistan's friends around the world mark the first anniversary of devastating earthquake as in just a few terrible minutes at that morning almost 80,000 people lost their lives and million more were left homeless."
He said within 48 hours, about 20 US military helicopters were in air over the earthquake areas. He added that helicopters delivered 40,000 tonnes of food supplies and they also evacuated casualties from the quake-hit areas.
He said this is the time to mourn with people of Pakistan who lost so many innocent lives adding it was also time to look ahead.
Total pledge from US government and from major US cooperations was about 510 million dollars he said adding Americans from all walks of life have also contributed another 100 million dollars.
During visit of President Pervez Musharraf to US, President George W. Bush and President Musharraf had discussed earthquake and great human losses adding both the leaders also discussed international response and US efforts after the earthquake. He said in Pakistan Embassy Washington, President Pervez Musharraf very kindly recognised efforts of American's individual and organisation contribution to relief efforts.
He added that US in Pakistan launched major reconstruction and recovery efforts and over 200 million dollars of the US pledge would go to reconstruction. "At the anniversary of the earthquake US would dedicate first of many schools that would be built throughout the earthquake areas along with health clinics", he added.
He said the Chinooks would return back and would be flying some missions next week to get reconstruction supplies up into some of the remote places of quake hit areas.
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