The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has appealed to activists of political and social organisations to come forward and play their role in the immediate task of relief and rescue operations for the recovery of affected persons trapped under the debris.
PML-N Central Finance Secretary and MNA, Mohammad Pervaiz Malik, made this appeal while addressing a meeting of the party workers here on Monday.
He further appealed to provide food and shelter to the displaced population in Muzaffarabad, Balakot, Rawalakot and other worst affected areas. The immediate thing to do was to recover the affected persons buried alive under the debris of the houses and buildings and to give them medical aid, food and shelter, he added.
According to him, the extent of devastation of earthquake had not yet been ascertained correctly, while the relief operation in the worst affected areas around the epicenter in Balakot, Rawalakot and Muzaffarbad, were insufficient.
The stories of relief operation were restricted to cosmetic arrangements and that too in cities while on the ground, there was little to help the affected persons. As a result, the casualties were expected much higher than the earlier estimates.
The villages and towns have vanished from the earth, roads and telecommunication links disturbed and thousands are missing, he added.
Pervaiz Malik said that PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif had announced a donation of Rs 100 million towards the earthquake victims while the party's provincial bodies had announced names of divisional relief co-ordinators and relief camps.
However, in view of magnitude of the calamity, the entire nation should come forward and participate in the rescue and relief operation; the immediate need was to rescue the people, which could be followed by their rehabilitation, he added.